[CALL TO ORDER ]
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EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO CITY HALL.
UH, I KNOW THE WEATHER OUTSIDE ISN'T TELLING YOU THIS, BUT IT REALLY IS OCTOBER 4TH IN AUSTIN AND WE ARE CALLING TO, UH, ORDER THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4TH AT 6:00 PM AND, UH, IF I WOULD CALL ON OUR STAFF TO, UH, CALL THE ROLE.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE HEIM, SOUTH CHAIR PRESENT.
WHIT FEATHERSTON, VICE CHAIR PRESENT.
CARL LAROCHE, I BELIEVE WILL BE LATE.
RAYMOND CASTILLO WILL BE ABSENT.
JUAN RAYMOND RUBIO MIGHT BE LATE.
BUT, UH, BEFORE WE START THAT, UH,
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
WE ALWAYS START WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.UH, MS. ALLEN, IS THERE ANYONE WHO IS, UM, SET FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? YES.
UH, FIRST WE, UH, FIRST UP WE HAVE CLIFTON LADD.
MR. LADD, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND THEN, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, AND FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS CLIFTON LADD AND I LIVE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
A FEW BLOCKS FROM THE NORWOOD HOUSE.
THE NORWOOD HOUSE HAS NOT BEEN THE SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, AT LEAST NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE IN RECENT YEARS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT, UM, ABOUT THE THIS HOUSE AND RECENT EVENTS CONCERNING ITS PLANNED RESTORATION.
THE NORWOOD HOUSE OVERLOOKS LADY BIRD LAKE ON CITY PARKLAND, NORTHWEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF IH 35 AND RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
IT WAS BUILT BY OLLIE AND KELLY NORWOOD IN THE EARLY 1920S.
THE NORWOOD NAME IS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH THE 16 STORY NORWOOD BUILDING ON, UH, WEST SEVENTH STREET, WHICH IS ALSO BUILT BY MR. NORWOOD.
UH, THE NORWOOD HOUSE HAS BEEN NEGLECTED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, BUT A VOLUNTEER FOUNDATION HAS WORKED HARD IN THE LAST FEW YEARS TO RESTORE THIS HOME.
THE ALL VOLUNTEER NORWOOD PARK FOUNDATION DEVELOPED SHOVEL-READY PLANS TO RESTORE THE HOUSE, UH, TO BE USED AS A SELF-SUSTAINING ASSET, UM, FOR THE AUSTIN PARKS DEPARTMENT AND HELP GENERATE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDS TO SUPPORT THIS VISION.
THE HOUSE SITS ON A SOLID FOUNDATION.
IT'S IN ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION, BUT IT NEEDS SUBSTANTIAL WORK TO COMPLETE THE RESTORATION.
UH, WE HAD $2.8 MILLION IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDS SET ASIDE AND READY FOR THAT PROJECT, AND WE HAD A CONTRACTOR READY TO START WORK ON IT.
BUT THE COST ROSE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, IT, IT ROSE ABOUT $150,000, WHICH BROUGHT THE WHOLE PROJECT TO A HALT.
UM, THE ORIGINAL FOUNDATION HAS THE NORWOOD, UM, HOUSE FOUNDATION HAS SINCE DISSOLVED, AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT RECENTLY REASSIGNED THE PUBLIC FUNDS, UM, AND APPEARS TO HAVE NO PLANS FOR FURTHER RESTORATION EFFORTS.
UM, A NEW COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORT IS NOW WORKING TO PICK UP WHERE THE PREVIOUS FOUNDATION LEFT OFF.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THESE COUPLE OF MINUTES JUST TO BRIEF YOU ABOUT THIS EFFORT AND ASK FOR YOUR HELP, WHETHER INDIVIDUALLY OR WHAT, WHATEVER YOU CAN DO AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION TO SUPPORT THE RESTORATION OF THIS VALUABLE COMMUNITY ASSET.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE NORWOOD HOUSE ONLINE, AND IF YOU GO TO THE NORWOOD HOUSE.ORG, YOU'LL FIND HISTORY OF THE HOUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION ABOUT PRIOR EFFORTS, EFFORTS TO SAVE IT, UM, VIEWS FROM THE HOUSE, PREVIOUS EFFORTS IN THE RESTORATION PROCESS, AND, AND RENDERINGS OF THE PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS.
SO I AND MY NEIGHBORS WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP, UM, THAT YOU CAN GIVE TO THE NORWOOD HOUSE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OF MR. LADD? I JUST WANNA SAY, I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THAT THERE IS A NEW EFFORT, UH, THAT IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS THAT WAS HEARTBREAKINGLY CLOSE.
AND, UM, FOR ANYBODY WHO, WHO HASN'T SEEN SOME OF THE HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS, UH, IT'S HARD TO, HARD TO APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY OF THAT BUILDING AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN ITS CURRENT STATE.
BUT, UH, IT, WHEN, WHEN I WAS NEW TO AUSTIN,
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UH, ACTUALLY BETTY BAKER, WHO WAS HISTORIC STAFF AT THE TIME MM-HMM.AND IT CERTAINLY DESERVES, UH, A LOT OF LOVE AND ATTENTION AND IT'S GOTTEN PART OF THE WAY THERE, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED.
I THINK WE CAN STILL DO IT IF WE JUST PUT A LITTLE EFFORT INTO IT.
WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE, BUT WE NEED, WE NEED THE HELP FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
ALRIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
IT PROBABLY WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, UH, IF YOU WILL CONNECT WITH STAFF ONE OF OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. WE MIGHT POST THIS FOR A MORE OFFICIAL UPDATE OR BRIEFING ON THE PROJECT.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC, UH, COMMUNICATIONS? YES, WE HAVE, UH, MEGAN KING.
MEGAN KING, POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN WITH MY MONTHLY UPDATE FOR YOU GUYS.
UM, AS YOU MIGHT BE AWARE, FROM ALL THE PRESS RELEASES I'VE BEEN SPAMMING YOU WITH, UM, UH, LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH STARTED ON OCTOBER 1ST, IT'S PRESERVATION AUSTIN'S NEW BRAND NEW INITIATIVE TO CELEBRATE.
UM, ALL OF AUSTIN'S AMAZING ICONIC LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WE HAVE A PASSPORT AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP AT BOOK PEOPLE AND ZILKER TECH BROOM.
UM, IT'LL TAKE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE CITY VISITING, PATRONIZING, SUPPORTING SOME AMAZING BUSINESSES INCLUDING PETER PAN, MINI GOLF, BROKEN SPOKE CISCO'S, AND SOME LESS FAMILIAR ONES LIKE CAROUSEL LOUNGE AND THE HERB BAR.
UM, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
AND WE HAVE A BIG KICKOFF PARTY TOMORROW NIGHT AT SILK OR TAP ROOM FROM SIX UNTIL NINE.
YOU CAN GET YOUR PASSPORT, SO YOU CAN GET YOUR PASSPORT PHOTO TAKEN.
UM, WE HAVE AN OFFICIAL DECLARATION FROM COUNCIL, UM, DECLARING, UM, OCTOBER AS LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH AS WELL.
SO WE'LL HAVE SOME REPRESENTATION FROM COUNCIL THERE.
SO WE HOPE, UM, YOU ALL AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL JOIN US, UM, FOR THAT.
AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE WINNERS OF OUR, UH, 2023 PRESERVATION MERIT AWARDS.
UH, WE WILL BE CELEBRATING THOSE 12 WINNERS ON NOVEMBER 14TH AT CENTRAL MACHINE WORKS BREWERY IN EAST AUSTIN, WHICH WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
UM, AND YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH AND ABOUT PRESERVATION MERIT AWARDS AND GET TICKETS TO THE PRESERVATION MERIT AWARDS CELEBRATION, UM, ON OUR WEBSITE@PRESERVATIONAUSTIN.ORG.
AND THAT IS ALL FOR ME TONIGHT.
AND A ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF COMMISSIONERS? AND, UH, WE HAVE ACTUALLY NEW ARRIVALS.
UH, UM, JUAN RAMON RUBIO IS, IS THAT NO, HE'S GONNA BE ABSENT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UH, CARL, CARL LAROCHE HAS WITH US.
SO WE'LL ROUND OUT THE ATTENDANCE LIGHT
UM, WHAT WE DO NOW IS GO OVER THE AGENDA.
UH, I'LL READ OUT EACH OF THE CASES.
A NUMBER OF THEM ARE POSTED FOR CONSENT AND THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, IF PASSED ANY, IF YOUR ITEM IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND IT'S PASSED, THEN THAT WILL BE THE, UH, ACTION THAT WE NEED TO TAKE TONIGHT ON THAT CASE.
UH, HOWEVER, IF THERE IS A CASE THAT I CALL OUT ON THE AGENDA FOR CONSENT THAT YOU OR ANY COMMISSIONER WOULD LIKE TO PULL FOR DISCUSSION, PLEASE GET MY ATTENTION AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND RESERVE THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A FULL HEARING OR A FULL PRESENTATION ON THAT CASE.
SO TO START WITH THE CONSENT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, UH, WE'LL HAVE, UM, LET'S SEE.
THE FIRST ONE, ACTUALLY, THAT'S NOT WHAT I DO.
I'M GONNA READ THE WHOLE AGENDA.
I'M, I'M GETTING, I'M GONNA GET USED TO THIS.
I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THE WHOLE AGENDA AND TELL YOU WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
THEN I WILL SUMMARIZE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Consent Agenda]
IS HAVE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.UH, AND THAT WILL BE A CONSENT ITEM.
WE'LL HAVE A, UH, WE'LL POST IT FOR A TEXT PROJECT UPDATES, UH, HOWEVER, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THAT ACTUALLY IS NOT READY YET.
UH, THEY WILL BE, UH, COMING NEXT WEEK, UH, NEXT MONTH.
YEAH, THEY'LL BE COMING, UH, THE NOVEMBER 1ST MEETING.
UH, WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION OF SOME, SOME OF OUR CURRENT ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS ON ITEM NUMBER THREE.
UH, ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS THE 7 3 0 4 KNOX LANE.
UH, THESE ARE HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS.
WE HAVE THAT ONE POSTED FOR DISCUSSION.
STAFF WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THAT IS AN ERROR.
UM, ON THE AGENDA, IT WILL BE AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT ON CONSENT, UM, FOLLOWING THE INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE APPLICANT LAST APRIL.
UH, IT APPEARS ON OUR AGENDA BECAUSE, UH, IT HAS BEEN SIX MONTHS, UM, AND MUST APPEAR ON THE H L C AGENDA EVERY SIX MONTHS
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UNTIL IT RETURNS FOR DISCUSSION.IN THIS CASE, IT WILL BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT TO AGAIN APPEAR BACK IN APRIL.
OKAY, WE'LL, WE'LL READ THAT OUT WITH THE OTHER POSTPONEMENTS.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 5 11 0 4 EAST 10TH STREET.
UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX, THIS IS, UH, SEVEN 19 CONGRESS AVENUE.
AND THE STAFF HAS REQUESTED THAT THAT BE POSTPONED.
I BELIEVE THEY WERE STILL GETTING MORE INFORMATION FOR US, UM, THAT WE, WE'VE, UH, REQUESTED.
THE NEXT ITEMS ARE ITEMS IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND, UH, LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
AND THE ITEM NUMBER 7 4 0 2 WEST 12TH STREET.
WE HAVE A REQUESTED, UH, POSTPONEMENT FROM THE APPLICANT.
ITEM NUMBER 8 14 0 3 WEST NINTH STREET.
THAT IS, UH, PROPOSAL FOR A PORCH EDITION.
AND THAT IS, UH, POSTED FOR CON THAT IS POSTED AS CONSENT ITEM NUMBER 9 2900 TERRY TRAIL.
UH, THAT IS A PROPOSAL FOR A NEW LANDSCAPE ON THE PROPERTY.
WE SAW THAT PREVIOUSLY THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES, BUT IT IS POSTED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 10 14 0 9 ALTA VISTA.
THAT IS A POSTPONED REQUEST FROM THE APPLICANT.
ITEM NUMBER 1196 RAINY STREET.
THAT IS, UH, DEMOLITION AND NEW CONSTRUCTION, BOTH POSTED HERE.
AND, UH, IT IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION ITEM 12 15 0 5 10TH STREET.
THIS IS NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT IS OFFERED AS A CONSENT ITEM NUMBER 12 8 0 6 RUTHERFORD PLACE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, UH, REPLACE EXISTING WINDOWS AND DOORS THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THAT IS, UH, OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
AND AS A PROPOSAL FOR A DEMOLITION OF A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 15 42 10 WILSHIRE PARKWAY.
THAT IS A DEMOLITION OF A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE WITH FENCING AROUND THE PROPERTY, UM, THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 16 5 14 EAST LIVE OAK STREET, THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
THAT'S A DEMOLITION OF A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE AND BUILD OF NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO PULL, UH, THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO PULL FIVE 14 EAST LIVE OAK STREET.
ITEM NUMBER 16, THERE IS A SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION.
UM, ALSO, I BELIEVE THERE WAS INTEREST, UH, FROM A COMMISSIONER TO PULL ITEM 15, UH, 42 10 WILSHIRE PARKWAY.
IS THAT STILL THE OPINION OF COMMISSIONER REVIEW? ALRIGHT.
SO PLEASE PULL ITEMS 15 AND 16 FOR DISCUSSION.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE GO ON TO DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMIT APPLICATIONS.
ITEM NUMBER 17 7 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE.
THAT IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION.
THAT IS A PROPOSAL FOR TOTAL DEMOLITION.
UH, THIS IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 19 46 0 1 CHIP CHIRO TRAIL.
UH, THAT ONE HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.
THERE'S NO ACTION REQUIRED, SO THAT WILL NO LONGER BE ON OUR AGENDA.
ITEM NUMBER 20 1100 EAST SECOND STREET.
THAT'S A DEMOLITION UH, REQUEST.
AND THAT IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER 21 25 0 5 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ.
THAT IS A RELOCATION, UH, REQUEST.
AND THAT IS POSTED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 1304 ANGELINA STREET.
THAT IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST, UH, OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 23 8 12 WEST 12TH STREET.
UH, THAT ONE IS POSTED AT FOR TOTAL DEMOLITION REQUEST.
AND THAT IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER 24 46 0 4 CREST WAY DRIVE.
UH, THAT IS, STAFF WOULD LIKE TO PULL THIS FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, DEMOLITION REQUEST THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WE ALSO HAVE A ITEM POSTED UNDER OUR TAX ABATEMENT FOR REHABILITATION OF PROPERTY IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THIS IS ITEM 26 41 0 9 AVENUE A.
UH, AND THAT APPLICATION IS IN YOUR BACKUP.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE POSTED ON ITEM 27 OUR
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SCHEDULE FOR COMMISSION MEETINGS FOR THE NEXT YEAR.WE'LL DISCUSS THAT, UH, BEFORE TAKING THE FINAL VOTE ON THAT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE REMAINING ITEMS HAVE TO DO WITH THE WORK OF OUR COMMITTEES.
UM, I WILL REPEAT THE CONSENT AGENDA, THE ITEMS THAT ARE STILL ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FIRST, AND THE FIRST ONE BEING THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
AND THAT'S FOR THE SEPTEMBER 26 MINUTES.
THE SECOND WOULD BE, UM, ITEM NUMBER 9, 2900 TERRY TRAIL.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS ALSO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
DATE ITEM 8 14 0 3 WEST NINTH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 12 15 0 5 10TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 13, 8 0 6 RUTHERFORD PLACE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
14 17 13 SUMMIT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
SUMMIT VW IS THAT SUMMIT VIEW.
SUMMIT VIEW IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UM, WE'VE HAD THE OTHERS POLLED.
21, 21 25 0 5 EAST ASAR CHAVEZ IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
22 13 0 4 ANGELINA OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND ITEM NUMBER 25, 3900 BECKER AVENUE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND ITEM 26, THE, UH, TAX ABATEMENT REQUEST.
41 0 9 AVENUE A OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SECOND, IT'S, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE BY COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
IF YOUR ITEM WAS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, IT HAS PASSED.
UH, ANY HAVING TO DO WITH DEMOLITION, WE DO REQUEST THE, UH, PACKET OF DOCUMENTATION THAT IS PART OF THE APPROVAL AND YOU'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH, UH, MS. ALLEN OR UH, MS. UH, CONTRERAS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ACCOMPLISHED.
LET'S GO TO THE POSTPONEMENTS.
THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE POSTED IS ITEM FOUR, POSTPONE.
UH, THAT'S 7 3 0 4 KNOX LANE, AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 6 20 23, EXCUSE ME, SEVEN 19 CONGRESS AVENUE.
UH, THAT IS A STAFF REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 7 4 0 2 WEST 12TH STREET.
THAT IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 10 14 0 9 ALTA VISTA AVENUE.
THAT IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 18 11 0 1 GARNER AVENUE.
THAT IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL OF THEM.
OKAY, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION CHAIR.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT POSTPONEMENT.
UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
[3. Recent Preservation Accomplishments]
PROCEED TO OUR FIRST PRESENTATION, AND THAT IS, UH, DISCUSSING ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN PRESERVATION RECENTLY.UM, OH, I JUST, I JUST GOT KICKED OUT OF WEBEX, SO YOU GO FIRST.
I JUST GOT KICKED OUTTA WEBEX MS. JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK UPDATES WHILE AMBER, UH, LOGS BACK IN.
UM, WE HAVE MADE A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRESS ON, UM, PETER PAN MINI GOLF, UM, AND KIND OF DIGGING INTO THE LAND USE, UH, ISSUES, UH, WITH THAT PARTICULAR PARCEL.
UH, WE KNOW THAT NOW THE, UH, CITIZEN PETITION HAS, I THINK 25,000 SIGNATURES ON IT.
UM, AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR LAW DEPARTMENT, UM, WHO'S, UM, COORDINATING WITH THE, UH, TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S, UH, LEGAL TEAM TO, UH, TO TRY AND, UH, FIGURE OUT, UH, WHAT THE, UH, THE STATUS OF THE, UH, THE LAND UNDERNEATH PETER PAN MINI GOLF IS, AND, UM, HOW BEST WE CAN PROCEED WITH A POTENTIAL INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING IT ALONG, BUT WE'LL PROBABLY SEE IT IN NOVEMBER, PROBABLY.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE, UH, NECESSARY PAPERWORK FROM THE COMMISSION TO SEE IT THIS TIME, BUT, UM, WE DO NEED TWO, UH, LETTERS FROM COMMISSIONERS TO POST IT ON NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA.
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SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE COME BACK.AND COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE NOT LIMITED TO TWO.
SO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SEND A LETTER TO MS. CONTRERAS AND SIMPLY SAY THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SEEING IT ON THE AGENDA, UH, THAT WHICH SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT.
AND WE'RE NOT LIMITED TO NOVEMBER, EITHER OF THESE CAN COME AT ANY TIME AND THEY'LL BE PLACED ON THE NEXT SUBSEQUENT AGENDA.
SORRY ABOUT TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, BUT I'M BACK ON.
UM, LAST WEEK A CONTRACT WAS SIGNED WITH H H M TO PERFORM A HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY, UH, TO FILL IN THE GAPS IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN OVER THE NEXT 18 MONTHS.
THIS WILL, UH, YOU KNOW, BE IN ADDITION TO THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN SURVEY, UH, ON THE EAST
SO WE ARE FILLING IN THE BLANKS IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
UH, OVER 1400 PROPERTIES WILL BE EVALUATED IN THIS RESOURCE.
HIS, UH, HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY.
UM, YOU WILL HAVE BRIEFINGS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS FROM H H M AND STAFF.
UM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THIS STARTED.
AND AS I'M, I MENTIONED A NUMBER OF TIMES ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WHEN I REPRESENTED THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION ON THAT BOARD, UH, THAT MAP YOU JUST SHOWED, THAT'S, YOU MAY AS WELL JUST SAY THAT'S THE EPICENTER OF A TARGET WHERE THE ECONOMIC IMBALANCE THREATENS ANY HISTORIC PROPERTY IN THAT AREA.
UH, IT JUST, IT'S GONNA BE VERY HARD FOR US WITH THE TOOLS WE HAVE EXISTING TO ENVISION ANY OF THOSE PROPERTIES BEING ABLE TO STAY, UH, IN THEIR CURRENT STATE WHEN YOU HAVE SUCH PRESSURES FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE CENTRAL CORE OF THE CITY.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND A LOT MORE, UH, MATERIALS TO WORK FROM, BE MUCH MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE, AND ALSO THROUGH MAYBE THE CREATIVE WORK OF SOME OF OUR OTHER COMMITTEES, FIND SOME OTHER TOOLS AVAILABLE TO HELP US STEM THAT TIDE.
SO, VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT GOING.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT UPDATE.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION ITEMS PERTAINING TO THAT? MS. MS. ALLEN? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[5. C14H-2023-0092 – 1104 E. 10th St. – Discussion ]
FIRST POSTED CASE, UH, UNDER PUBLIC HEARINGS IN HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS.AND THAT IS THE 1104 EAST 10TH STREET.
UH, THIS IS AN OWNER INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING PRO, UH, PROJECT.
ITEM C 14 H 20 23 0 0 9 2 AT 1104 EAST 10TH STREET IS AN OWNER INITIATED ZONING CHANGE APPLICATION FOR THE DEPUY CHARCO FRAZIER HOUSE.
UM, THIS IS A STAFF RECOMMENDED, UH, ZONING CHANGE, UM, FOR HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS, COMMUNITY VALUE AND ARCHITECTURE.
THIS HOME BUILT BETWEEN 1886 AND 1887 EXEMPLIFIES TEXAS REGIONAL ARCHITECTURE AND IS A RARE EXAMPLE OF A SHORT-LIVED ARCHITECTURAL STYLE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT'S A RARE SURVIVING EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY WORK OF BUILDER JOHN T DEPUY.
FRONT PORCH IS AN UNCOMMON FEATURE OF THE PERIOD, EVEN AMONG THE DWINDLING NUMBERS OF 19TH CENTURY VERNACULAR BUILDINGS IN AUSTIN.
THE PROPERTY, UH, HAS LONGSTANDING SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATIONS WITH PERSONS, GROUPS, INSTITUTIONS, BUSINESSES, OR EVENTS OF HISTORIC IMPORTANCE.
AND THE APPLICATION SUMMARIZES THESE, THE PROPERTY, UH, THE PROPERTY.
SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATIONS, UH, REPRESENT A PORTRAYAL OF THE CULTURAL PRACTICES AND THE WAY OF LIFE OF SEVERAL GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
IN AUSTIN'S EARLY DECADES, THE ITALIAN-AMERICAN AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILIES WHO RESIDED IN THE HOME PLAYED SIGNIFICANT ROLES IN THE RELIGIOUS, EDUCATIONAL, COMMERCIAL AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF EAST AUSTIN.
THE HOME'S BUILDER, JOHN T DEPUY, WAS ONE OF AUSTIN'S EARLIEST HOME BUILDERS.
BY THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY, THE HOME WAS OWNED AND OCCUPIED BY MEMBERS OF THE CHERICO FAMILY, WHO OWNED AND OPERATED A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES WHO INCLUDING PRODUCE, DRY GOODS AND GROCERY STORES IN EAST AUSTIN, AS WELL AS A BARBERSHOP AT THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN.
LEADERS IN AUSTIN'S BLACK COMMUNITY, INCLUDING ELIZA LIZZIE HAWKINS, A CHARTER MEMBER OF EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH, TREATER FRAZIER, WHO WAS THE FIRST HONORED MOTHER OF EBENEZER BAPTIST AND LUCILLE FRAZIER, A RENOWNED ENGLISH TEACHER AT ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL, OWNED AND RESIDED IN THE HOME.
1104 EAST 10TH STREET IS LOCATED WITHIN AN AREA OF RICH CULTURAL DIVERSITY WHERE NOTABLE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY LEADERS LIVED AND GATHERED DURING THE EARLY AND MID 20TH CENTURY.
THIS WELL PRESERVED AND RESORT STRUCTURE IS UNIQUELY LOCATED WITHIN BOTH AUSTIN'S AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL DISTRICT AND THE ROBERTSON STEWARD AND MAYOR HISTORIC DISTRICT, ONE OF AUSTIN'S FIRST SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS THAT BEGAN WITH CULTURAL DIVERSITY NOTES.
THE APPLICATION, IT PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN PROVIDING RESIDENCES AND PLACES OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP TO ONE OF EARLY, TO ONE OF AUSTIN'S EARLY ENCLAVES OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN LEBANESE, ITALIAN, GERMAN ANGLO, AND MEXICAN AMERICAN RESIDENTS.
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THIS HOME STORY SUBSEQUENTLY TELLS THE STORY OF EAST 10TH STREET.EAST 10TH STREET AS A WHOLE, THE BUILDER AND FIRST OCCUPANTS WERE FRENCH DESCENT, BUT DURING ITS FIRST THREE DECADES, IT BECAME HOME TO ANGLO, ITALIAN AMERICAN AND AFRICAN AMERICAN RESIDENTS.
THESE RESIDENTS IN TURN, CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY'S CULTURAL IDENTITY IN WAYS THAT SPREAD FAR BEYOND 10TH STREET.
THIS BUILDING HAS HIGH TO MODERATE INTEGRITY WITH MOST VISIBLE CHANGES OCCURRING DURING THE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANT, DURING THE HISTORIC PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE, INCLUDING AN 1890S DINING ROOM AND 1930S HALLWAY ADDITION, UH, A BEDROOM AND BATHROOM ADDITION, AND SOME WINDOW REPLACEMENTS.
UH, INTERESTINGLY, THE HOUSE AT 1007 WALLER WAS MOVED TO THE REAR OF THIS HOUSE AROUND 1997.
UM, AND ITS WINDOWS ARE REPLACED.
UH, WERE REPLACED OUTSIDE THE HISTORIC PERIOD, UH, BUT IT IS NOT VISIBLE FROM THE STREET.
UM, THIS BUILDING CONTRIBUTES TO THE ROBERTSON STORE AND MAYOR HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND, UH, STAFF CAN RECOMMEND THE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE FROM FAMILY RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, HISTORIC DISTRICT TO FAMILY RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, HISTORIC DISTRICT, HISTORIC LANDMARK.
UH, DO WE HAVE A SPEAKER FOR THE CASE? ALRIGHT, MR. ROGERS, PLEASE, UH, COME AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
UH, MY WIFE AND I, TONA ROGERS OWN THE HOUSE AT 1104 EAST 10TH.
WE MOVED IN AS RENTERS BACK IN 1986 AND ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY IN 1994, I BELIEVE.
UM, I HAD TO, I DIDN'T INTEND TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT I SAW THE, THE PHOTOGRAPHS UP THERE, AND YOU WERE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE BACK OF THE HOUSE,
UH, THE BACK OF THE HOUSE THAT WE MOVED ON, IT WAS THE HOUSE ACTUALLY LOCATED AT 1007 WALLERS.
I WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THE TWO PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE WERE NOT THE MAIN HOUSE THAT THAT'S IN QUESTION OR IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION OR ZONING.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU WANNA PULL UP GOOGLE MAPS
I DID TAKE SOME, I SAW THE, UH, THE MATERIALS THAT WERE GOING BEFORE YOU WHEN I PULLED UP THE AGENDA EITHER OVER THE WEEKEND OR LAST FRIDAY, AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS JUST, I, I TOSSED THOSE PICTURES IN.
I SAID, IF YOU'RE CURIOUS WHAT THE, UH, WHAT THE ADDITION ON THE BACK, WHICH WAS A RELOCATED HOUSE, WE ROLLED IT TWO LOTS FROM WALLER STREET AND ATTACHED IT TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE.
AND THEN, UH, A FRIEND OF MINE WHO, WHO DOES HISTORIC RESEARCH, PULLED UP THE PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE, I THINK THE 1970S OF WHAT THAT HOUSE.
SO THERE'S THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE,
THAT MAKES ME FEEL A LITTLE BETTER.
UM, SO THAT'S REALLY ALL I WANTED TO SAY, SO THAT WE'VE DONE OUR BEST TO RESTORE IT.
I ACTUALLY FOUND THE ORIGINAL, UH, POST COLUMNS, UH, IN THE BACKYARD WHEN I WAS MOWING THE YARD WAY BACK IN THE 1980S.
AND I WAS HITTING WITH THE LAWNMOWER AND SAID, WHAT THE HECK IS THAT UNDERNEATH ALL THOSE WEEDS? AND FOUND THE, UH, THE POSTS, PORCH POSTS, AND THEN WENT ABOUT RESTORING THINGS.
UH, THEY WERE PRETTY BEAT UP AND CHEWED UP.
SO I GOT REPLICAS MADE OF THOSE POSTS AND, UH, THE SPINDLES UP ABOVE THE RUNNING TRIM OR, OR ORIGINALS.
AND THEN I HAD SOME REPLICAS MADE IN ORDER TO, UM, FINISH THAT OUT.
UH, WHEN WE HAD THE HOUSE PAINTED AT ONE POINT, I NOTICED, UH, WHERE THE HALF COLUMNS WENT AGAINST THE, UH, FACADE, YOU KNOW, NEXT TO THE OUTSIDE WINDOWS, BETWEEN THE EDGE OF THE HOUSE AND, AND COULD LOCATE THOSE AND KNEW, KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE EXTENT OF THAT ORIGINAL PORCH HAD BEEN AND SO ON.
SO, UM, YEAH, I'VE BEEN FASCINATED BY IT.
UM, CRAWLING AROUND UNDERNEATH, YEARS AGO, PUTTING IN A PHONE LINE WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAD LANDLINES.
I FOUND A BOX OF MATERIALS, LETTERS FROM 1908 THAT THE FRAZIER'S HAD WRITTEN A GRANT.
AND LINCOLN, I, I LOVE THE FACT THAT TREATER FRAZIER, WHO WAS BORN SOMEWHERE AROUND EIGHTEEN FIFTY, EIGHTEEN SIXTY, NAMED HER TWO, TWO OF HER SONS.
ONE OF THEM WAS LINCOLN AND THE OTHER WAS GRANT, UM, WASN'T ABOUT TO HIDE HER AFFILIATIONS ON THINGS AND, AND SO ON.
SO SOME REALLY, UM, I THINK OF AS ORDINARY BUT REMARKABLE PEOPLE FOR, FOR THE EARLY HISTORY OF, OF AUSTIN.
SO I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
MR. ROGERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING ABLE TO PRESENT THIS, UH, UH, IT, IT IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVE SOME OF THESE HOUSES, WHICH COULD EASILY BE OVERLOOKED, HAVE RICH, RICH HISTORIES, AND JUST PUT A LITTLE BIT OF CARE AND ATTENTION THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED.
UH, WE REALLY HAVE QUITE A WONDERFUL RESOURCE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY IN OPPOSITION?
[00:30:02]
ALL RIGHT.WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR HISTORIC ZONING INITIATED BY THIS OWNER.
UH, YOU'VE SEEN THE PRESENTATION AND SEEN THE BACKUP, AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I MOVE THAT WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
AND WE HAVE A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO MOVED BY COMMISSIONER DUDLEY.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE.
THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION NOW.
COMMISSIONER, I WAS JUST BE MY FIRST, UM, OFFICIAL MO MOTION IN THIS CAPACITY.
SO PLEASE TELL ME IF I DID IT WRONG.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE INITIATE HIS HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE PROPERTY AT 1104 EAST 10TH STREET.
AND, UH, OF COURSE IT'S THE OWNER INITIATED IT, BUT YOU'D LIKE TO APPROVE THIS OR SUGGEST THAT WE APPROVE THIS REQUEST AND, UH, RECOMMENDATION IS THE WORD WE NEED.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE DESIGNATE THIS PROPERTY AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK, AND THEN I ALWAYS THROW IN PER STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AS WELL, THAT PER STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT'S IN THERE GETS THROWN IN AT THE SAME TIME.
COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR HISTORIC OR RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING ON THIS CASE.
IS THERE A SECOND? JUST ONE MOMENT.
UM, IN THAT MOTION, WOULD WE LIKE TO ADD TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S THIS, UH, REQUIREMENT NOW.
TO APPROVE THE STORY EXAM COMMISSIONER, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO DESIGNATE THE PROPERTY AT 1104 EAST 10TH STREET WITH HISTORIC ZONING.
AND THEN COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, UH, COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? SURE.
UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REITERATE, UM, OUR SUPPORT AND APPRECIATION OF THE OWNER'S STEWARDSHIP OF THIS HISTORIC PROPERTY.
UM, AND IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE, UH, HISTORIC RESOURCES IN, UM, EAST AUSTIN ESPECIALLY, UH, BUT WITH A VERY LONG AND DIVERSE HISTORY THAT SPEAKS TO THE DIVERSITY, UM, YOU KNOW, AND INCLUSIVITY OF THE HISTORY OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST TO HONOR THESE, YOU KNOW, EVERYDAY HEROES BASICALLY, THAT HAVE MADE AUSTIN THE CITY THAT IT IS.
AND REALLY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, THE RESTORATION WORK AND THE PRESERVATION OF THIS PARTICULAR HISTORIC RESOURCE.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE, I, I SO MUCH APPRECIATE THAT THE APPLICANT WAS COMPELLED TO COME UP AND SPEAK.
UH, YOU'RE SO FORTUNATE THAT WE SHOWED THE, THE WRONG SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND GOT YOU TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT IT WAS JUST GOOD TO HEAR YOUR WORDS ABOUT THE CARE YOU'VE PUT INTO THE HOUSE AND, AND THE WAY YOU CARE ABOUT IT.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ITEM? OKAY.
UH, ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO ADD IS THAT, UM, KNOWING, UH, THE IMPORTANCE NOT ONLY OF THE HOUSE, BUT ALSO, UH, LET ME EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE CURRENT APPLICANT AND HIS WIFE.
IT MAY SOMEDAY BE A RENAMING OF THIS, THE DEPUY CHARCO FRAZIER ROGERS HOUSE.
UH, WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THIS FAMILY, SO, UH, THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED THIS AS YET ANOTHER, UH, UH, CONTRIBUTION TO AUSTIN, UH, WE JUST HAVE TO SAY HOW MUCH I I KNOW THAT'S APPRECIATED BY MANY, MANY PEOPLE.
UH, I WILL CALL THE QUESTION ON THE MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR COMMISSIONERS INDICATE BY SAYING, AYE.
AND ALL THOSE OPPOSED, IT IS UNANIMOUS.
ALRIGHT, WE ARE ON NOW TO, UH,
[11. PR-2023-076607 – 96 Rainey St. – Discussion ]
THE ITEMS FROM THE LANDMARK, UH, DISTRICTS, THE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND THE, UM, NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS.THE, UM, ITEM EIGHT, NO, I'M SORRY.
FIRST DISCUSSION WAS NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT APPLICATION.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL FOR A DEMOLITION AND NEW CONSTRUCTION TOGETHER.
THIS ONE, IT'S ALSO DISCUSSION.
ITEM 11 IS A, UH, PROPERTY THAT
[00:35:01]
HAS COME BEFORE THIS COMMISSION BEFORE, UH, SO I'LL BE BRIEF THIS TIME AROUND.UH, 96 RAINY STREET HAS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1887 HOUSE AND TO CONSTRUCT A NEW COMMERCIAL BUILDING ON THE SITE.
THE EXISTING HOUSE IS A ONE STORY FOLK VICTORIAN L PLAN HOUSE WITH HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING.
TRADITIONAL CORNERS RETURNS A PARTIAL WIDTH FRONT PORCH WITH A SHED ROOF AND WOOD TO OVER TWO WINDOWS.
A WOOD DECK LEANED TO AND COVERED PATIO HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED TO SHELTER BAR PATRONS.
THE PROPOSED NEW BUILDING IS TWO STORIES IN HEIGHT, CLAD AND MASONRY VENEER PANELS, METAL PANELS, AND WOOD SIDING.
UH, THERE ARE BREEZE BLOCK ACCENTS AND A COMPOUND FLAT ROOF AT SOUTH AND WEST.
ELEVATIONS ARE WINDOWLESS FENESTRATION AT THE NORTH AND EAST ELEVATIONS IS A REGULAR WITH FULLY GLAZED DOORS BENEATH MASONRY ARCHES, DIVIDED LIGHT RECTANGULAR, AND ARCHED FIXED WINDOWS AND FRENCH DOORS AT THE SECOND FLOOR BALCONY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
UH, THIS PROJECT DID NOT MEET THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
THE 1985 RAINY STREET NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT LISTS.
THE EXISTING BUILDING IS NOT CONTRIBUTING.
HOWEVER, IT MAY HAVE GAINED POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANCE IN THE LAST 38 YEARS AND SHOULD BE CAREFULLY EVALUATED GIVEN THE REVERSIBLE NATURE OF MANY OF THE NON HISTORIC ACCRETIONS.
UH, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS WAS TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE BUILDING SUFFICIENTLY MEETS THE DESIGNATION CRITERIA AND INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, HOWEVER, WE SHOULD NOTE THAT THE MISSION 75 DAY TIMELINE, UH, WILL EXPIRE BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, SO A VOTE OF NO ACTION IS ALSO APPROPRIATE HERE.
UM, SHOULD THE COMMISSION FEEL THAT THE BUILDING DOES NOT ADEQUATELY MEET THE CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION, UM, STAFF RECOMMENDS ADAPTIVE REUSE AND REHABILITATION, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT RELEASE OF THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
AND THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE COMMISSION COMMENT ON THESE, UH, NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS NEW CONSTRUCTION PLANS.
UM, WE HAD THIS PRESENTED AND WE HAVE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST.
IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION THAT WE SHOULD BE HAVING, UH, ON THIS ITEM? UM, DO WE WANNA CALL FOR SPEAKERS FIRST? OH, I'M SORRY.
UH, IS THERE SOMEBODY HERE, UH, TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS, UH, DEMOLITION REQUEST AND THE NEW PLANS? I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS HERE, BUT HE'S AVAILABLE FOR QUESTION, BUT DOES QUESTIONS BUT DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
AND IS THERE ANYBODY HERE OPPOSED? OKAY, THEN WE'LL JUMP AHEAD.
I'M MOVED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UM, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, UM, THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, UM, WE CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UM, INCLUDING, UH, A DECISION TO TAKE NO ACTION.
STAFF WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY THAT THE DEMOLITION PERMIT REVIEW IS UP, UM, OCTOBER 16TH AND WILL NOT RETURN NEXT MONTH.
HOWEVER, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS STILL HAVE AN, UH, AN EXTRA MONTH SO THAT THE NEW CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS WILL APPEAR ON THE NEXT AGENDA, BUT THE DEMOLITION WILL NOT.
THE DEMOLITION 75 DAY, UM, CLOCK ENDS ON OCTOBER 16TH.
AND THE, UH, NEW CONSTRUCTION DRAWING SEVEN FIVE DAY CLOCK ENDS ON NOVEMBER 20TH.
SHORT, SHORT OF US TAKING ACTION ON IT.
COMMISSIONERS, I RATHER THAN RELIVE THE AGONY, THIS IS ONE WHERE I, I THINK WE WERE ALL, UM, WISH THE HOUSE WAS IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE AND WE WISH THAT THE OWNER COULD SEE THE MERITS OF TAKING THIS BACK TO, UH, SOME OF ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION.
UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE MADE I THINK THE POINT THAT HOW IMPORTANT THAT COULD BE.
UH, THE ONLY OTHER TOOL WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US BEING HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
UM, I THINK WE HAD CONVERSATIONS ALREADY INDICATING THAT THIS, IN THE MAJORITY OPINION, DIDN'T RISE TO THAT, UH, LEVEL TO JOIN THOSE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT HAVE THAT DESIGNATION.
UM, I DO THINK THAT WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
WE COULD VERY WELL TAKE NO ACTION AND BE ABLE TO SEE THAT SET OF PLANS ONE MORE TIME.
UH, I WOULD APPRECIATE IF IT WAS POSSIBLE TO SEE SOME UPDATES OF THAT, PARTICULARLY CONSIDERING THE BIG TWO STORY BLANK WALL THAT WE COMMENTED ABOUT AND IS STILL IN THE PACKET.
UH, I DON'T THINK THAT'S IN ANYBODY'S BEST
[00:40:01]
INTEREST, AND I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY SUGGEST THEY COULD DO BETTER, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, THE REST OF THE PROPERTY REALLY DOESN'T DO A LOT WITH WHAT'S LEFT OF THE RAINY STREET DISTRICT, WHICH IS MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL IN SCALE.SO COMMISSIONERS, WE COULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION OR, UH, WOULD THE MOTION BE TAKING NO ACTION.
I'LL, I'LL MOVE TO TAKE NO ACTION ON THE DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION AND TO STRONGLY SUGGEST REVISIONS TO THE NEW CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS BEFORE THEY COME, BEFORE US AGAIN NEXT MONTH.
SO THAT WOULD BE NO ACTION TO THE DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION AND THEN A POSTPONEMENT FOR THE, UM, A POSTPONEMENT OF THE YES.
NEW CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS, CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS WITH A STRONG SUGGESTION FOR REVISIONS BEFORE THEY COME BACK TO US NEXT MONTH.
WITH REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND A REOPENING OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, IT'S BEEN MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE, I THINK YOU ALREADY SAID IT.
I I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID.
SO, UM, SHORT OF LITERALLY DOING NOTHING, WE HAD TO TAKE A MOTION TO DO NOTHING.
JUST MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THERE WERE OTHER OPTIONS.
UH, IT'S UP TO, UP TO THE OWNER TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, AND I'LL AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID AS WELL.
UH, THIS IS RAINY STREET UPSIDE DOWN WORLD WHERE WE TOOK A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT AND UP ZONED THE HECK OUT OF IT TO ENCOURAGE HIGH RISES TO GO ON TOP OF IT.
I I WILL SAY, WHEN YOU WALK DOWN RAIN STREET, YOU WILL SEE IN ACTION MARKET POWERS THAT DO RESPECT HISTORIC CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THERE IS A GOOD DEAL OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS THERE.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE STREET LIFE IS.
THAT'S THE MAJORITY OF THE REASON PEOPLE GO DOWN THERE.
I WISH, UH, THIS OWNER COULD POSSIBLY SEE THAT IT'S, UM, I WAS REALLY ON THE FENCE ABOUT THIS ONE.
UH, SEEING AS HOW WE DID LET OTHERS PROPERTIES OF SIMILAR OR POSSIBLY BETTER CONDITION GO IN LIEU OF HIGHRISES, BUT KNOWING THAT THIS IS GOING TO REMAIN A VENUE ON THE SAME PROPERTY, UM, JUST IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WOULD BE OTHER OPTIONS TO PRESERVE AT LEAST THE FACADE OF THE HOUSE AND STILL HAVE THE SAME SORT OF UTILITY.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A BETTER DESIGN OPTION HERE.
IT'S NOT HIGH RISE VERSUS HISTORIC HOUSE.
IT'S, UM, WAREHOUSE TYPE VENUE VERSUS HISTORIC HOUSE THAT COULD BE SENSITIVELY ADAPTED TO SERVE THE SAME PURPOSE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST GIVE IT ONE MORE MONTH'S CHANCE TO CONSIDER THAT.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS MOTION.
I THINK THE NO ACTION ALLOWS US TO NOT WIPE, NOT HAVE TOO MUCH BLOOD ON OUR HANDS.
AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF, A LOT OF THINGS IN THE PAST WE MAYBE COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY ABOUT RAINEY, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS AND THE WAY IT LOOKS NOW.
AND I THINK MAYBE, HOPEFULLY WITH PUBLIC SUPPORT AND MAYBE WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE POLITICAL WILL, UM, FROM OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OTHER PLANNING COMMISSIONS ZONING, THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY START TO PROTECT THESE CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES IN THIS, IN THIS CASE, NOT, NOT A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING.
UM, BUT THERE'S NO PURPOSE IN DESIGNATING THESE BUILDINGS AS CONTRIBUTING NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS IF WE AT THE CITY CAN'T, UH, CAN'T HAVE THAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AS WELL.
SO I JUST THINK THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN LEARN FROM, FROM THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? RIGHT.
I WILL CALL THE QUESTION ON THE MOTION, UH, TO, UM, TAKE NO ACTION AND, UH, POSTPONE, UH, ON THE DEMOLITION REQUEST AND THEN TO POSTPONE TILL OUR NEXT MEETING OPEN, UH, ON THE, UH, ON THE PLAN REVIEW AND IN BOTH CASES REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING, UH, WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, LET'S TAKE A, TAKE A HAND VOTE HERE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED? AND WITH TWO OPPOSED.
ALRIGHT, MS. ALLEN, DO YOU HAVE THE, THOSE IN FAVOR? MM-HMM.
WELL, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU.
I, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TOUGH ONES, BUT, UM, I THINK WE'VE, WITH THE TOOLS WE HAVE, I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE MADE, MADE, UH, WHAT WE THINK WOULD BE THE BEST THING HAPPEN, UH, CLEAR.
AND WHETHER WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN OR, OR NOT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
AND, AND CHAIR, IF, IF I MAY, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, THE UH, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE IS AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL OPTIONS FOR THIS HOUSE IF THE APPLICANT WERE SO MOVED.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM IS
[15. PR-2023-103994 – 4210 Wilshire Pkwy. – Consent Wilshire National Register District ]
ITEM NUMBER 15.THAT'S 42 10 WILSHIRE PARKWAY.
UH, THAT IS A DISCUSSION ITEM PULLED BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
UH, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1947 HOUSE.
[00:45:01]
UH, NO NEW CONSTRUCTION IS PROPOSED FOR THIS SITE.THIS IS A ONE STORY MASON RE VENEER HOUSE WITH MULTI LIGHT METAL CASEMENT WINDOWS AND AN ATTACHED CARPORT.
IT WAS BUILT IN 1947 IN ITS FIRST OCCUPANTS.
UH, REGINALD AND DOROTHY SHIN LIVED IN THE HOME UNTIL AROUND 1953.
REGINALD SHIN WAS IN THE AIR FORCE, ITS NEXT RESIDENCE.
THE WILSONS ONLY LIVED IN THE HOME FOR A FEW YEARS BEFORE SELLING IT TO THE MCGUIRES, ANOTHER AIR FORCE FAMILY.
UH, THIS PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE WILSHIRE WOOD NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE ADAPTIVE REUSE AND REHABILITATION, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, WE HAVE, WE MAY HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT IF THIS, UH, IS SOMEONE HERE IN FAVOR OF THIS DEMOLITION REQUEST? ANYBODY WE WISH TO SPEAK IN, IN FAVOR? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? ALRIGHT.
UM, I THINK WE CAN CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE AND, UH, COMMISSIONER SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, UH, HAVE MOVED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ALL THOSE INDICATE THEIR APPROVAL BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, HEARING IS CLOSED.
COMMISSIONERS, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO ON THIS? AND COMMISSIONER RUBIO, I GUESS SINCE YOU PULLED IT, YOU HAVE SOMETHING SPECIFIC YOU'D LIKE TO.
LET'S SEE WHERE WE, WHERE WE STAND ON THIS ONE.
I THINK I KNOW, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, UM, ON THE TWO VALUES OF ARCHITECTURE AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
LOOKING AT THIS NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, IT'S CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE 2011.
SO THIS IS A FAIRLY NEW DISTRICT.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A NEW DISTRICT THAT I WAS NOT EVEN TOO FAMILIAR WITH LEARNING ABOUT THE AUTO ORIENTED SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NEAR WHAT WAS FORMERLY MUELLER AIRPORT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT GOES INTO DETAILS ABOUT THE IRREGULAR LOTS AND THE SETBACKS AND HOW A LOT OF THEM ARE RANCH HOUSES, 1940S, 1950S.
THERE'S COMMUNITY VALUE THERE.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE KEEPING PART OF THAT COMMUNITY VALUE AS WELL AS ARCHITECTURE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, TO, TO THINK THAT IT'S GONNA BE REPLACED, NOT TO GO FOR A DENSER AUSTIN, BUT A LESS DENSE AUSTIN.
MAYBE THAT'S JUST THE CHERRY ON TOP.
I'LL SECOND WE HAVE A SECOND, UH, FROM THE MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER RUBIO, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON YOUR MOTION THAT YOU KIND OF MADE IT AT THE SAME TIME AS YOU MADE YOUR MOTION? IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE? I, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING COMMISSIONER RUBIO SAID.
I THINK THAT IT'S JUST HEARTBREAKING THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, FOUR BLOCKS FROM AN I 35 UNDERPASS IN WHICH PEOPLE REGULARLY SLEEP EVERY NIGHT.
AND HERE WE ARE LOSING A HOUSE JUST FOR THE SAKE OF LOSING A HOUSE.
I MEAN, THERE IS SOME SORT OF REALLY TWISTED POETICS IN THAT WILSHIRE WOODS WAS DEVELOPED AS A, A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SHOULD BE WELL OFF WITH VERY LARGE LAWNS FOR THEIR OWN PRIVATE PARKS TO BE HAD.
AND HERE WE ARE EXPANDING UPON THAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS PROPERTY IS GONNA REACH THE, THE HIGH BAR THAT WE SET FOR HISTORIC ZONING, BUT IT, IT DESERVES A FURTHER DEEP DIVE.
UM, I'M ALSO CURIOUS IF WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE CURRENT OWNERSHIP AND IT, IT DOESN'T MATCH UP WITH THE PROPERTIES ON EITHER SIDE OF IT.
THE OWNERSHIP ENTITY, I THINK THAT 42 0 8 DIRECTLY NEXT DOOR, WE, IN RECENT YEARS THAT, THAT WAS A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING THAT WE APPROVED THE DEMOLITION OF AND APPROVED THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND THERE WAS A, I I'M NOT, I MIGHT BE RECALLING INCORRECTLY, BUT I, I RECALL IT, A PART OF THE HEATED DISCUSSION WAS THE NEIGHBORS AND HOW CLOSE THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION IS TO THE NEIGHBORS.
AND NOW HERE WE ARE LOSING A NEIGHBOR.
SO IT'S ALL, THERE'S, THERE'S MORE TO BE UNDERSTOOD THERE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT IT IN THE NEXT COUPLE, COUPLE MONTHS.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY, ANY MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS MOTION? I, I, I HAVE TO SAY, I, I HAVE PERSONALLY VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE STANDARD THAT WE'D, AND I'VE MENTIONED THIS IN OTHER CASES, THIS ISN'T NEW.
THE STANDARD THAT WE SHOULD BE KEEPING OR HOLDING OURSELVES TO WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH AN OWNER THAT WE,
[00:50:01]
IN THIS CASE IS, IS REQUESTING THE DEMOLITION.SO I THINK THEY'RE NOT HERE TO TELL US THEY WERE OPPOSED TO THIS MOTION, BUT MY GUESS IS, IS IT'S PRETTY MUCH ASSUMED THAT THEY DON'T WANT THIS.
UM, THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, EVEN IF THIS WAS COMING FORWARD WHERE, UM, I GUESS AN EAGER AN AN EAGER OWNER, I WOULD STILL HAVE TO LOOK RATHER SERIOUSLY AT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS BUILDING.
AND I THINK IT'S ONE AMONG MANY, UH, IN AN AREA THAT IT APPROPRIATELY IS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
BUT I THINK THERE ARE MANY MORE PROPERTIES IN THE WILSHIRE HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT WOULD DESERVE INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK BEFORE THIS ONE WOULD.
AND AND I, OF COURSE, MY FILTER IS, IS OFTENTIMES THE ARCHITECTURAL FIRST AND THE OTHER ASSOCIATION SECOND.
BUT I THINK IN BOTH CASES, THIS DOES NOT RISE TO THE SAME LEVEL THAT A NUMBER OF OTHER PROPERTIES WOULD LONG BEFORE THIS ONE WOULD, WOULD TAKE ITS PLACE IF, EVEN IF IT, IF IT SHOULD, IF AS A, AS A DESIGNATED LANDMARK.
SO COMMISSIONER ROCHE, I, I WONDER IF, UM, WE, UH, ON THIS DIOCESE ARE IN CHARGE OF SETTING THE BAR AND SETTING THE STANDARD.
AND I WONDER IF WHEN WE LOWER THAT BAR, IF WE DON'T DIMINISH OUR STATURE IN SOME WAY AS WE LOOK TO OTHER PROPERTIES? THAT WOULD BE MY COMMENT.
I'LL, I'LL RESPOND TO BOTH OF YOU.
UM, AND FIRST SAY THAT I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE AGAINST A RECOMMENDATION THE NEXT TIME THIS COMES BEFORE US.
UM, AND I THINK THAT TO YOU, COMMISSIONER ROCHE, WE HAVE SUCH A LIMITED NUMBER OF TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING SIMPLY TO POSSIBLY COMPEL THE OWNER TO COME TALK TO US IS JUST, I MEAN, IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT BARS THAT ARE SET, THAT'S LIKE THE LOWEST BAR WE COULD POSSIBLY HOP OVER OF TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IS JUST BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE OWNER WHO DIDN'T SHOW UP TONIGHT.
AND MAYBE THEY WILL IF THEY FIND OUT THAT WE'VE INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING ON THE PROPERTY COMMISSIONERS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN A NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO, UH, PER CODE YOU HAVE UP TO 180 DAYS TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS DEMOLITION.
UH, AND THAT IS JUST BY POSTPONING AND WITHOUT INITIATING.
SO THE, THE NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT DOES GIVE US A LONGER PURVIEW FOR REVIEW AND DISCUSSION FOR CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS BEFORE, BEFORE TAKING ANY SPECIFIC ACTION.
AND, AND THE MOTION WAS TO INITIATE AND SO I, I SECONDED.
I WOULD ALSO HAVE, UM, SUPPORTED A MOTION TO POSTPONE.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S LEVELS AT WHICH, AGAIN, I'M, I'M MOSTLY INTERESTED IN COMPELLING THE OWNER TO COME TALK TO US.
UM, BUT I, I'LL STAND BY MY SECOND FOR NOW.
UM, JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT THE, UH, INITIATION, I BELIEVE NEEDS TO LEAD TO A RECOMMENDATION AT THE NEXT MEETING, WHICH WOULD, UH, SHORTEN THE TIMELINE.
UM, BUT I CAN CHECK ON THAT FOR YOU.
COMMISSIONERS, UM, IF, IF SOMEONE IS SO INCLINED, YOU COULD CERTAINLY OFFER AS AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION, UH, OR WE COULD DO IT TO UP OR DOWN VOTE ON THE HISTORIC ZONING, AND THEN IF THAT FAILED POSTPONEMENT WOULD BE A SECOND OPTION.
YOU COULD, YOU COULD HAVE ONE OR THE OTHER OPTION AT THIS POINT.
AND, AND I WOULD OFFER A FRIENDLY TO THE MOTION TO MOVE TO POSTPONE BECAUSE IT WORKS IN OUR FAVOR TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS THAT COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE HAS ARTICULATED.
AND, AND SO IF, IF THE, IF THE NET GOAL IS TO PULL BEHIND THE CURTAIN AND SPEAK WITH THE APPLICANT, THEN I THINK THAT'S A, A BETTER METHODOLOGY TO ACHIEVE THAT END.
ANY, ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WANNA PICK UP ON THAT? WELL, FIRST WE HAVE TO SEE IF THE ORIGINAL MOTION OR, WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE DISCUSSING THE ORIGINAL MOTION STILL, SO THAT NOW OF COURSE, THE ORIGINAL MAKER OF THE MOTION COULD MODIFY HIS MOTION IF HE CHOOSES, CHOOSES, OR OTHERS COULD WEIGH IN.
YEAH, I'M, I'M GONNA NOTE THAT I WOULD AGREE THAT THE SIX MONTH DEMOLITION DELAY WOULD BE THE PREFERABLE TOOL THAT IS AVAILABLE TO US AT THIS POINT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? COMMISSIONER RUBIO? OKAY.
NOW I NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.
AND I WOULD SECOND THAT, OR YOU COULD, UH, AMEND IT TO SAY THAT IT WOULD BE A POSTPONEMENT INSTEAD OF AN INITIATION.
I WOULD JUST AMEND THAT TO AMEND.
POSTPONE THIS TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
[00:55:01]
REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, UM, POSTPONE THAT AMENDMENT WAS MADE BY THE MOTION MAKER.THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S IN ORDER THEN.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION AS IT HAS NOW BEEN AMENDED TO POSTPONE TO OUR NOVEMBER MEETING? UH, I THINK JUST SO WE'RE VERY CLEAR, THE INTENT IS TO KNOW BETTER WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF EITHER MAINTAINING THE HOUSE AS IS OR, UH, AS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE, UH, OR, UH, WHAT THE OWNER INTENDS IN LEAVING A VACANT LOT, WHICH BASICALLY IS A MISSING GAP, UH, IN THE, YOU KNOW, AS THEY SOMETIMES SAY, THESE GAPS ARE LIKE MISSING TEETH ALONG YOUR STREETSCAPE.
UH, SO I THINK JUST GETTING A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT THE LONG-TERM GOAL IS FOR THIS REQUEST.
UH, I THINK WE REALLY DO HAVE TO SEE SOME WAY OF DISCUSSING THIS WITH THE OWNER AND I THINK THAT'S THE INTENT BEHIND THE MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS STATED, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
SO IT IS UNANIMOUS AND WE WILL HAVE THIS HOPEFULLY DO, UH, CONSIDERING NEXT MONTH.
[16. HR-2023-118825 – 514 E. Live Oak St. – Consent Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register District]
PULLED FOR DISCUSSION IS ITEM NUMBER 16.THAT'S FIVE 14 EAST LIVE OAK STREET.
THIS IS IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
AND THIS IS, AGAIN, A REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION OF A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE AS WELL AS THE, UM, REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF THE PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THE PROPOSAL FOR FIVE 14 ACE LIVE OAK STREET IS TO DEMOLISH A HOUSE CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1917 AND 1930 AND TO CONSTRUCT A NEW BUILDING.
THE PROPOSED NEW BUILDING IS TWO AND A HALF STORIES IN HEIGHT, IT'S CLADDED STUCCO, HORIZONTAL SIDING, AND BRICK VENEER.
IT'S COMPOUND ROOFS CLA IN IN STANDING.
SEA METAL FENESTRATION INCLUDES FIXED ENCASEMENT WINDOWS WITH VARIOUS LIGHT CONFIGURATIONS, A PARTIALLY GLAZED FRONT DOOR AND A FRONT FACING GARAGE.
THE EXISTING HOUSE IS A ONE STORY BUNGALOW WITH A PARAMETAL HIP ROOF AND THEN INTERSECTING PORCH GABLE.
IT FEATURES A PARTIAL WIDTH INSET PORCH AND HORIZONTAL SIDING.
DECORATIVE DETAILS INCLUDE EXPOSED RAFTER TAILS AND REMNANTS OF JIGSAW BRACKETS.
THE HOUSE AT FIVE 14 EAST LIVE OAK, UH, HISTORICALLY ADDRESSED AS BOTH 400 EAST LIVE OAK IN 2119 BROOKLYN IN OUR, IN ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTS IS IDENTIFIED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER INVENTORY AS A 1917 STRUCTURE.
THOUGH THE BUILDING DOES NOT APPEAR IN CITY DIRECTORIES UNTIL THE 1930S, ITS MODIFIED FORM IN DETAIL.
SUGGEST AN EARLIER BILL THAN THE 1930 WATER TAP PERMIT.
THE PLUMLEY FAMILY, OR THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED RESIDENCE, THEY APPEAR TO HAVE SOLD THE HOUSE IN THE EARLY 1930S AFTER BEING CAUGHT STORING LIQUOR ILLEGALLY AT THE HOUSE.
DURING PROHIBITION? NO, IN THE LATE 1930S INTO THE 1940S, THE HOME WAS OCCUPIED BY JAY BUFORD SMITH, A BOOKKEEPER AT THE STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, UH, AND HIS WIFE CATHERINE.
IN THE 1950S, THE HOUSE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PRIMARILY A RENTAL PROPERTY WITH RESIDENCE, INCLUDING A MILL OPERATOR AND A DRY CLEANER.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THIS PROJECT DOES NOT MEET MOST OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UM, THE EXISTING HOUSE CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, AND THE BUILDING APPEARS TO RETAIN MODERATE INTEGRITY.
SOME WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE PORCH HAS BEEN ALTERED.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON THE PLANS, ENCOURAGING REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
MS. CONTRERAS, UH, IS THE OWNER HERE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS? THE APPLICANT IS, UH, JOINING US BY PHONE, UH, MICHAEL LINEHAN.
ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME? THIS IS MICHAEL LINNEHAN.
I AM THE, UH, ARCHITECT AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PROPERTY OWNER AND CURRENT RESIDENCE.
UH, AT THIS LOCATION, UH, THE REQUEST IS FOR DEMOLITION AND OF THIS, OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURE FOR A NEW BUILD.
UH, DO WANNA MAKE ONE CLARIFICATION.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT DOES A TWO AND A HALF STORIES.
THIS IS A TWO OUT, UH, THAT DOES STEP DOWN TO A SINGLE STORY ON THE PRIMARY FACADE, UH, WHICH WE'RE TELLING THE SOUTH
UM, UH, THE, WAS THE CONDITION OF THE, THE PRIMARY
[01:00:01]
FACADE AND THE EXISTING RESIDENCE.SO, UH, TWO STORY HOUSE, UH, IT'S A 2300 SQUARE FOOT HOME.
UH, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY AND OUR CLIENT IS THE CURRENT RESIDENT OF THE HOUSE.
UM, AND THEIR INTENT WAS TO REDESIGN WITH, UH, CABLED ROOF STRUCTURE, A SIGNIFICANT ARTICULATION IN A FRONT PORCH TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE VERNACULAR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BERKELEY.
UM, SO WE DO ASK FOR YOUR, UH, CONSIDERATION PROPOSAL.
UM, AND WOULD LIKE TO ALSO NOTE THAT AS STATED IN THE REPORT, THIS DID NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
AND THE INTENT OF THE DESIGN IS TO BE MORE RESPECTFUL OF THE VERNACULAR OF THE, OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND THERE'S A LOT OF NEW, VERY CONTEMPORARY, UH, HOMES THAT DO NOT MEET THE HISTORIC VERNACULAR IN THIS PRESENCE.
AND SO THIS WAS MEANT TO BE A NOD TO THE, THE EXISTING, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ARCHITECTURE, UH, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME CONTEMPORARY ELEMENTS TO IT, UH, TO GIVE THE, THE MORE REFRESH.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION OF THE ARCHITECT? IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? UH, GO AHEAD.
UM, HI, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THE PLANS ON THE, ON THE CITY PERMIT, UM, SITE, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE ARE THOSE ARE THE MOST RECENT PLANS? 'CAUSE I'M NOT SEEING A GABLE ROOF OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT THE PLANS THAT WERE PRESENTED, UH, ON ARE, THAT WERE PUT ON THE SCREEN, UH, ARE THE MOST RECENT PLANS.
AND IT, AND I, IT'S A CORNER LOT, SO IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO WE'RE HAVING AN ENTRY FROM BOTH ELEVATIONS? NO, THAT'S THE SIDE ELEVATION.
THE, THE LONGER, THE LONGER ELEVATION IS, UH, ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
AND THE SOUTH MORE NARROW SIDE IS, UH, WHERE WE HAVE THE DRIVE LOCATION, WHICH IS THE CURRENT LOCATION OF THE DRIVE ON SITE.
SO, MR. LENAHAN, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, THE ELEVATION THEN THAT WE'RE SEEING, UM, ON THE, NO, NOT THIS ONE.
IF YOU, IF YOU WOULD SWITCH OVER TO THE NEXT ONE PLEASE.
SO THIS IS A 2.20 AND IT'S THE LOWER, UH, IMAGE.
AND THAT'S THE ELEVATION THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS STEPS DOWN AND FACING.
THEN THE STREET ON EAST LIVE OAK.
IS THAT, IS THAT YOUR INTENT? THE, THE, UH, ELEVATION ON THE TOP OF THE PAGE THERE IS THE ONE FACING EAST LIVE OAK, UH, THAT SHOWS THE BRICK AND WOOD.
SO THAT, THAT IS TWO STORY ON EAST LIVE OAK.
AND THEN ON THE, SORRY, SORRY.
THERE, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DELAY IN THE, UH, VIDEO RECORDING, UH, THAT I'M ON MY COMPUTER AND THE PHONE.
UH, BUT YES, THE NARROW, THE NARROW SIDE ON THE LOW PAGE WHERE YOU DO SEE THAT DER IS, UH, THE
UM, HOWEVER, WITH THE PROPOSED DESIGN, THE PRIMARY ENTRANCE IS WOULD, UH, TO THE, THAT IS THE TOP ELEVATION ON THE OTHER PAGE.
AND THAT FRONT ELEVATION DOES SHOW A GARAGE ACCESS OFF OF EAST LIVE OAK AS WELL AS THE FRONT DOOR.
THE FRONT DOOR WOULD ACTUALLY BE, UH, ON THE, UH, THE WEST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
SO YOU COME AROUND, I THINK, IS THE FRONT DOOR IS ACCESSED OFF BROOKLYN STREET? YEAH, THE, THE FRONT DOOR AND THE GARAGE ARE BOTH NOTED AS WEST ELEVATION, BUT AS I READ THE MAP, I WOULD'VE CONSIDERED THAT THE SOUTH ELEVATION.
THAT, THAT IS THE SOUTH ELEVATION, RIGHT? FOR THE, THE MISLABELING? THERE'S, UH, YES.
UH, THE FRONT DOOR IS FROM A, UH, A WALKWAY COMING FROM BROOKLYN STREET, AND THE GARAGE IS FROM EASTLY OAK STREET.
THERE'S A SECONDARY ENTRANCE ON EASTLY OAK STREET.
AND IF I MAY ASK, IF IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE A MASS THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING HOUSE IN THE, IN THE NEW DESIGN, WAS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION OF RETAINING THE FIRST 15 FEET AT LEAST OF THE FACADE AND BUILDING THIS ADDITION LARGELY WITH THE SAME MASSING TOWARD THE REAR INSTEAD AND MAINTAINING THE SIDE DRIVE PARKING INSTEAD OF INCORPORATING THE GARAGE INTO THE HOUSE? BECAUSE FROM THE LOOKS OF IT, IT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD VERY EASILY HAVE BEEN, UH, A WELL DONE ADDITION.
UH, SINCE YOU HAVE A ONE STORY MASS, VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONE STORY HOUSE, VERY SIMILAR TO THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE HISTORIC HOUSE, WAS THAT A CONSIDERATION? UH, WE DID LOOK AT THAT.
[01:05:01]
WITH THAT, UH, IS JUST THE ADDITIONAL COSTS AND THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS OF ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHING THAT AND THE CHALLENGES IN CONSTRUCTION.UH, SO THE INTENT WAS TO REBUILD WITH THE, A SIMILAR, UH, MASS TO BE RESPECT, RESPECTFUL OF THE HEIGHT AND THE, THE LOCATION OF THE FRONT TO BOB.
UH, HOWEVER, THE, UH, THE CHAP THAT DOES PROPOSE, THE OWNER CHOSE THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO REBUILD WITH THAT MAP.
ANY COMMISSIONERS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE ARCHITECT? OKAY.
AGAIN, MR. THE APPLICANT CONSIDERED, UH, GOING TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE PERHAPS, AND THIS IS, UH, WE, WE HAVE NOT, THIS IS FROM COMMISSIONER APPLICATION TO ALVAREZ.
UH, APPLICANT, UH, MR. LENAHAN, YOU, YOU WERE, YOU WERE RESPONDING TO COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ? YES.
I, I WAS JUST SAYING THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE NOT, UH, APPROACHED THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER COMING TO THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, COMMISSIONER RUBIO? YEAH.
UH, WE WOULD PREFER TO AVOID THAT IF POSSIBLE, JUST WITH TIMELINES, UH, OF THIS PROJECT.
UH, THE, THE, OF, THE CURRENT RESIDENT OF THIS HOME IS VERY EAGER TO PUT BOARD.
COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A SPEAKER WHO BOLD THIS.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED FOR CONSENT.
UH, THERE MAY BE OTHERS WHO WISH TO ACTUALLY SPEAK ON THIS.
IS THAT CORRECT, MS. ALLEN? OKAY.
IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE ARCHITECT BEFORE I CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER.
OKAY, MR. LINEHAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE MAY HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
AND THEN, UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? OKAY.
IS THERE SOMEONE HERE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? YES.
WE HAVE A FEW, UH, ONE ON, UH, JOINING US BY PHONE IS SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER.
I WILL ALLOW HER TO GO FIRST AND THEN CALL FOR ADDITIONAL OPPOSITION SPEAKERS.
MS. FISHER ARMSTRONG FISHER, SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER, YOU ARE FREE TO SPEAK.
YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES MS. ARMS. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU TODAY.
MY NAME IS SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER.
I'M A RESIDENT OF THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND I PASS BY THIS PROPERTY EVERY DAY.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO OPPOSE THE DEMOLITION AND THE PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION AT THIS PROPERTY.
AS YOU HOPEFULLY SAW ON THE BACKUP MATERIAL, THIS PROPERTY LIKELY DATES BACK TO 19 17, 1 OF THE FEW REMAINING 100 PLUS YEAR OLD HOMES LEFT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT STILL HAS GOOD INTEGRITY.
IT'S LOCATED ON A BLOCK THAT WHILE YES, IT IS TRANSITIONING TO SOME NEW DEVELOPMENT, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF REMAINING CHARMING BUNGALOWS AROUND IT.
IT'S ON A VERY HIGHLY TRAFFICKED STREET IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS, WITH PEOPLE PASSING INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BY THIS HOUSE EVERY DAY.
AS STAFF SAID IN THE BACK, AND AS YOU GUYS WERE DISCUSSING JUST NOW, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION DOES NOT MEET MOST OF THE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S MUCH LARGER, MORE MONOLITHIC, HAS A MUCH DIFFERENT DESIGN THAN THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES OF BUNGALOWS.
AND THE FRONT FACING GARAGE DOES NOT EXIST IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS EXCEPT FOR THESE OUTER CHARACTER NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS ASKED, AND I RESPECTFULLY ASKED THE COMMITTEE, THE COMMISSION, I'M SORRY TO POSTPONE THE APPROVAL OF THIS PROPERTY UNTIL MORE QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED BY THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS PERHAPS EVEN WORKING WITH THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
MANY OF US ARE SADDENED BY EVERY HOUSE THAT WE LOSE AS WE BECOME LESS AND LESS OF A NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THANK YOU, MS. ARMSTRONG FISHER.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF MS. ARMS? ARMSTRONG FISHER? OKAY.
UH, WE HAVE A FEW OTHER REGISTERED SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION.
UH, THE FIRST ONE WE HAVE UP IS, UH, CLIFTON LADD.
MR. LAD, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS CLIFTON LADD AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS.
UM, AS HAS BEEN NOTED BY STAFF, THIS IS A CONTRIBUTING HOUSE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK
[01:10:01]
NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.UM, IT WAS BUILT SOMETIME BETWEEN 1917 AND 1930.
IT'S ONE OF THE OLDER HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, IT'S A ONE STORY BUNGALOW.
UM, THE PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION IS VERY INCONSISTENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE DESIGN STANDARDS.
UM, IT'S PROPOSED TWO AND A HALF STORIES AND NOT QUITE SURE WHAT MR. LINEHAN MEANT, UH, WHEN HE DISPUTED THAT, BUT TO ME IT, IT LOOKED LIKE A TWO AND A HALF STORY BUILDING, STUCCO, HORIZONTAL SIDING AND BRICK.
THIS IS NOT ANYTHING LIKE WHAT WE HAVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EXCEPT FOR ALL OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING ON FRONT FACING GARAGE, NOT CONSISTENT.
THE SCALE, MASSING AND HEIGHT ARE ALL INAPPROPRIATE FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S DESIGNED IS VERY INCONSISTENT WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, STAFF DID NOTE THAT THE DESIGNATION CRITERIA ARE ONE, THAT IT IS MORE THAN 50 YEARS OLD.
IT'S, TO ME IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.
THERE ARE TWO OTHER, UM, CRITERIA THAT NEED TO BE SATISFIED, AND I WOULD OFFER THAT IT DOES MEET THOSE TWO CRITERIA, UH, OR TWO OF THE CRITERIA A FOR ARCHITECTURE.
UM, IT DOES HAVE ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THE, TO THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S IN GOOD CONDITION, AND WE ARE LOSING HOUSES LIKE THIS EVERY MONTH.
UM, IT'S HAPPENING ALL AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY'RE SLOWLY BECOMING VERY UNCOMMON.
THIS KIND OF HOUSE, THIS WOULD BE JUST ONE MORE BIG RIP IN THE FABRIC OF OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SECONDLY, IT DOES HAVE COMMUNITY VALUE.
IT POSSESSES A UNIQUE LOCATION AT THE CORNER OF EAST LIVE OAK IN BROOKLYN STREET IS A VERY HIGHLY VISIBLE LOCATION.
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT DOES MEET THE CRITERIA FOR, UM, HISTORIC ZONING.
I URGE YOU TO, AT, AT, AT A VERY MINIMUM, UM, TALK WITH THE APPLICANT, YOU KNOW, GET SOME, UM, COMMISSIONER KOCH.
I THOUGHT THAT YOUR, UM, SUGGESTION OF REVIEWING, YOU KNOW, ADDING ONTO THE EXISTING HOUSE WOULD, AT, AT THE VERY LEAST, THAT THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE.
I, I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND MR. LINEHAN'S COMMENT WHEN HE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION IS A NOD TO THE HISTORIC OR THE CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND JUST DON'T SEE IT THAT WAY.
SO PLEASE AND URGE YOU TO NOT APPROVE THIS APPLICATION FOR A DEMO PERMIT.
ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MS. TERRY MEYERS.
MS. MYERS, WE LOVE SEEING YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
UH, OUR FORMER CHAIR, I'M BACK.
HEY, I'M, MY NAME IS TERRY MYERS.
UM, I WAS THE CONSULTANT WHO DID THE ASSESSMENTS, THE SURVEY AND THE NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION FOR TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
AND I, I PICKED UP ON THE APPLICANT'S, UM, MENTION THAT THERE ARE NEW, UH, THERE IS NEW CONSTRUCTION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S SO IRONIC A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVE, HAVE MOVED INTO TRA HEIGHTS, UM, OR OTHER HISTORIC AREAS BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE AREA.
THEY LOVE THE HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE, BUT THEY JUST SIMPLY CAN'T MAINTAIN THE HISTORIC BUILDING THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE.
AND I, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, TO SAY THAT IN THIS CASE, UH, IT IS A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, AND YOU HAVE THAT SIX MONTH POSTPONEMENT WINDOW.
I KNOW THE APPLICANT SAID THAT HIS, HIS CLIENTS WERE IN A HURRY, BUT IF YOU SLOW DOWN AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, UM, MEET WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, YOU MIGHT FIND A WAY TO LESSEN THE IMPACT OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION BY SAVING THE FRONT PART OF THE HOUSE AND BUILDING TO THE REAR, UH, OF IT.
AND, AND THAT WAY IT WOULD BE SOMEPLACE BETWEEN THE HISTORIC CHARACTER, IT WOULD STILL CONVEY THAT ON THE FRONT FACADE, UM, AND, AND STILL GIVE YOU THE SPACE, UH, THAT YOUR, YOUR CLIENT IS LOOKING FOR.
AND I WOULD URGE YOU TO CONSIDER, UM, AT LEAST POSTPONING THIS, UH, AS IS YOUR, YOUR, UM, LAWFUL, UH, RIGHT AS, AS THE LANDMARK COMMISSION TO, UM, TO URGE THE, THE APPLICANTS TO, TO MEET WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
IF WE COULD HAVE MORE CASES LIKE THAT,
[01:15:01]
UM, WHERE THEY DO GO TO THE REVIEW COMMITTEE FIRST, UM, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE, UM, ADVERSE EFFECT OF SO MUCH NEW CONSTRUCTION, UM, THAT IS ERODING THE CHARACTER OF THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE.
MS. MYERS, YOU ARE A TREASURER OF INFORMATION, AND SO WE WILL HAVE LOTS OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
I'M NOT SURE JUST ON THIS CASE SPECIFICALLY, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WAIT FOR THE NEXT CASE, WHICH IS WHY I'M REALLY HERE,
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF MS. MYERS? OKAY.
IS THERE FURTHER SPEAKERS? ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION? IF NOT, THEN THE, UH, APPLICANT HAS TWO MINUTES OF REBUTTAL.
IF, UH, MR. LENAHAN, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY, UH, YOU DO HAVE, UM, THIS TIME? UH, YES.
HELLO? UM, UH, I, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THAT THIS, UH, PROJECT OR THIS APPLICATION WAS REVIEWED BY THE COMMITTEE AND FOUND NOT TO MEET THE CRITERIA FOR HER HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
UH, IT WAS, UH, OFF OF THAT OFFERED FOR THE 10TH AGENDA.
UM, THE, UH, OPPOSITION IS NOT INCORRECT THAT THIS IS AN OLDER HOME, BUT THAT DOES NOT DIRECTLY CREATE IT AS A HISTORIC, UH, DESIGNATED SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY ARE THE CURRENT RESIDENCE, UH, AND THEY, THEY EXPAND THE CHARACTER NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT WOULD BE, UH, THE DIRECTION THAT WE RECEIVED FOR THIS DESIGN TO, UH, YOU KNOW, ADD FEATURES THAT, UH, ARE RESPECTFUL OF THAT.
UH, IT IS, YOU KNOW, A TWO STORY HOMES GOING FROM A ONE STORY, TWO STORY, RECOGNIZE THAT THAT IS A DIFFERENT DIFFERENCE IN MASKING AND SCALE.
UM, HOWEVER THAT, UH, THAT WAS CONSIDERED IN THE DESIGN OF THIS HOME IN REGARDS TO THE FRONT FACING DRIVEWAY, UM, OR THE GARAGE.
THE DRIVE IS EXISTING ALLOCATION.
SO WE PUT PLACE THAT WHERE THE EXISTING DRIVEWAY IS.
UH, I KNOW THAT THE HOME DOESN'T CURRENTLY HAVE A GARAGE, UH, BUT TRYING TO KEEP THE, THE CONTEXT OF THE LOT IN CONSIDERATION.
UM, AND I WILL CLOSE WITH THAT.
YOU MENTIONED THE CRITERIA POTENTIALLY FOR DESIGNATION THAT OBVIOUSLY WILL BE STILL ANOTHER CONVERSATION COMMISSIONERS MAY HAVE, BUT IT IS ESTABLISHED AS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IN A NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THERE IS AN IMPLIED AND VERY EXPLICIT VALUE OF THOSE PROPERTIES, AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY WE'RE HAVING OUR REVIEW.
AND THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BY THIS OWNER AND CERTAINLY THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT YOU WERE GOING IN EVALUATING, UH, ITS IMPORTANCE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST WHETHER IT'S A LANDMARK OR NOT, THE IMPORTANCE OF IT BEING A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IS SIGNIFICANT AND IS, I THINK AT LEAST, UH, SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS I KNOW, UH, ARE GOING TO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS UNDERSTOOD AND THEREFORE, POSSIBLE OPTIONS TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST THE CONTRIBUTING COMPONENTS, UH, MAY BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
SO, UH, WITH THAT IN MIND, WE AT THIS POINT CAN CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO BEFORE I MAKE THAT MOTION, I'M SLIGHTLY CONFUSED AND I MAY HAVE TO GO BACK TO TRAINING AGAIN, AMBER, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN TURN AROUND AND MAKE A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE LAW DEPARTMENT SEEMS TO THINK WE NEED TO DO.
YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN, BUT IT HAS TO BE FOLLOWED WITH A POSTPONEMENT OR INITIATION, RIGHT? IT CAN ALL BE ONE MOTION.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TWO SEPARATE ONES.
SEE, BACK IN THE DAY, WE USED TO HAVE TO CLOSE EVERYTHING BEFORE WE DID ANYTHING.
AND NOW IT SEEMS LIKE WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER.
IF YOU'RE READY TO MAKE A MOTION, I AM LITTLE COUNTERINTUITIVE, BUT I AM, UH, I MOVED TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN, UH, AND POSTPONE THE, UH, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT AND ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANT AND THE APPLICANT'S, UH, DESIGN REPRESENTATIVES TO MEET WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD AND MOVE TOWARDS A, UH, A DESIGN THAT'S MORE IN KEEPING WITH THE DISTRICT.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN
[01:20:01]
AND THEREFORE GO RIGHT TO A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST, UH, POSTPONEMENT, UH, TO THE NEXT NOVEMBER MEETING WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE APPLICANT, UH, SCHEDULE TIME ON THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE IN THE INTERIM.IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, UH, SECOND COMMISSIONER LA ROCHE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? WELL, I, I, I THINK THAT IN, IN THE DISCUSSION, I THINK THERE'S SOME MISCOMMUNICATION AND, AND A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, LACK OF UNDERSTANDING ON THE WAY THAT WE PUT ON THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
AND, AND SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT CLEAR TO THE APPLICANT AND THE DESIGN TEAM.
COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, UH, JUST WHAT'S BEEN MENTIONED, I, I THINK THAT THE PROJECT WOULD BENEFIT FROM, UH, VISIT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
CONSIDER MAYBE PRESERVING SOME OF THE FRONT EDGE OF THE FACADE OR, UH, MORE COMPATIBLE MASSING.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO POSTPONE? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION, UH, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, UH, TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND TO POSTPONE TO ALL NOVEMBER MEETING INDICATE BY SAYING, AYE AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THERE ARE NONE OPPOSED AND IT IS UNANIMOUS.
AND WE'LL, UH, ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANT TO SCHEDULE TIME WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND TO POSSIBLY MEET WITH SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS ABOUT THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UH, THERE'S QUITE A, QUITE A HISTORY OF THAT DISTRICT COMING ABOUT AND ITS IMPORTANCE.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE NOW
[17. PR-2023-087312 – 701 Sparks Ave. – Discussion]
MOVING TO DEMOLITION, UH, REQUESTS IN GENERAL.ITEM NUMBER 17 7 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE, MS. CONTRERAS.
ITEM 17 IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1925 HOUSE AND 1937 SECONDARY STRUCTURE AT 7 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE.
THE HOUSE IS A ONE STORY SPANISH COLONIAL REVIVAL WITH A STUCCO EXTERIOR, A FLAT ROOF WITH CRENELATED PARAPET AND A HIP ROOF WITH TERRACOTTA TILE, A PARTIALLY GLAZED ENTRY DOOR FLANKED BY SIMPLE SIDELIGHTS, A CURVED ENTRY PORCH SUPPORTED BY CLASSICAL COLUMNS, AND ONE OVER ONE WOOD WINDOWS WITH SIX OVER ONE SCREENS.
THE SECONDARY APARTMENT IS TWO STORIES, ALSO STUCCO WITH DOUBLE WOOD GARAGE DOORS AND ONE OVER ONE WOOD WINDOWS.
THE HOUSE AT 7 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE, ORIGINALLY ADDRESSED AS 1 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE WAS BUILT IN 1925 FOR KNOX THOMAS AND SALLY ROGERS JOHNSON BY CONTRACTOR.
MARVIN GORDON MCGOUGH MCGOUGH BUILT FOUR OTHER SPANISH ECLECTIC HOMES ON SPEC IN THE HARRIS PARK NEIGHBORHOOD AND NARROWED HIS CONTRACTING SCOPE TO ROOFING ONLY IN THE LATER HALF OF THE 1920S.
THE JOHNSON HOUSE WAS THE ONLY RESIDENCE BUILT SPECIFICALLY FOR A CLIENT BY THE GOFF KNOX T JOHNSON, THE SON OF A LONG-TERM POSTMASTER AND CITY CLERK.
JOHN O. JOHNSON BEGAN HIS CAREER IN AUSTIN AS A FARMER, BUT MOVED INTO CEMENT AND PAVEMENT CONSTRUCTION.
HE COMPLETED MULTIPLE LARGE MUNICIPAL CONTRACTS DURING, DURING THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY AS AUSTIN'S BOOMING ECONOMY DROVE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
IN AN INFORMAL SURVEY BY AUSTIN CONCRETE HISTORIAN KELLY DICKENS, THE SURVEYOR NOTES THAT JOHNSON STAMPED CURBING IS AMONG SOME OF THE OLDEST REMAINING IN TOWN.
ACCORDING TO DICKENS, ONLY NINE KNOX T JOHNSON STAMPS REMAINED IN 2014.
SALLY ROGERS JOHNSON WAS THE DAUGHTER OF TRAVIS COUNTY PIONEER ED ROGERS AND AUNT TO ST.
LOUIS CARDINAL'S MANAGER AND SECOND BASEMAN ROGERS HORNSBY, WHO WAS A HALL OF FAMER EARNING THE THIRD BEST BATTING AVERAGE IN HISTORY AND ACCOLADES AS THE BEST RIGHT HAND HITTER OF ALL TIME.
AFTER SALLY JOHNSON'S DEATH IN 1942, THE FAMILY MOVED AWAY AND THE HOUSE AT 7 0 1 SPARKS SPENT SEVERAL YEARS AS A RENTAL PROPERTY.
BY THE FIFTIES, VIRGINIA HARRIS, WHO WORKED AS SECRETARY TO THE TEXAS STATE BOARD OF INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS, HAD PURCHASED THE HOME.
SHE LIVED THERE FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS.
THE 2020 NORTH LOOP HANCOCK BAGGY CREEK SURVEY LISTS THE PROP LISTS, THE PRIMARY BUILDING ON THE PROPERTY AS A HIGH PRIORITY AND INDIVIDUALLY ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, AS WELL AS RETAINING SUFFICIENT INTEGRITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO A LOCAL, TO A POTENTIAL LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE SURVEY LISTS A SECONDARY BUILDING AS A MEDIUM PRIORITY.
PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINE THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA.
IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF SPANISH COLONIAL REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE WITH ECLECTIC DETAILING AND IS ONE OF ONLY FIVE BUILT BY CONTRACTOR MARVIN GORDON MCGOUGH IN THE HARRIS PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH KNOX THOMAS AND SALLY JOHNSON.
THE PROPERTY WAS NOT EVALUATED FOR ITS ABILITY TO POSSESS UNIQUE LOCATION, PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC OR SIGNIFICANT FEATURE CONTRIBUTING TO THE CHARACTER IMAGE OR CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE CITY.
[01:25:01]
ADJACENT TO EASTWOODS PARK.THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
THE BUILDING IS ARCHITECTURALLY UNIQUE IN STYLE AND APPEARS TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS OF MS. CONTRERAS? OKAY.
UM, CAN WE HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT? YEAH.
UM, BEFORE WE START SPEAKERS, WE HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKERS FOR THIS ONE.
SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, UH, I WILL CALL THEM.
SO THE FIRST, UH, SPEAKER IS THE APPLICANT.
MR. MCCONE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
MY NAME IS MIKE MCCONE HERE ING, REPRESENTING RAHEEM AVAMAR, WHO, UH, PURCHASED THE PROPERTY IN MAY OF 2023 FROM ELIZABETH WILDER WHO HAD PURCHASED IT IN 1977.
HE PLANS TO BUILD NEW HOMES ON THE PROPERTY AND HE FILED FOR A DEMOLITION PERMIT TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS.
UH, THAT IS TRIGGERED HIM COMING HERE TONIGHT.
HOW THIS PROPERTY COMING HERE TONIGHT TO BE REVIEWED.
UH, WE ARE TRYING TO, UH, SEE WHAT IF AT ANY, UH, PROVISIONS IT MIGHT MEET.
UM, MR. JABBER HARDY HAS FILED A PETITION OPPOSING ANY OF THE ZONING CHANGE, AND HE HAS PROVIDED THIS COMMISSION WITH A CURRENT, UH, SOME 80 PAGE LONG CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY BY A REGISTERED PROPERTY INSPECTOR WHO MAKES A LIVING DOING THAT.
THIS PROPERTY, ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT HAVE ANY WAY TO, UH, THE REPORT, I HAD CONSIDERABLE PICTURES IN IT.
I HOPE YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS ONE OF THOSE CASES WHERE IT HAS A LOT OF, UM, IT LOOKS NICE IF YOU DON'T LOOK AT IT, IF YOU DON'T REALLY GET INTO IT, IT IS FALLING DOWN.
AND WE HAD A LICENSED GENERAL CONTRACTOR GO OUT AND SAY THE SAME THING THAT I SAID WHEN I WENT THROUGH THE BUILDING.
THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH, TOO MUCH TO DO.
AND IF WE WERE TO TRY TO DO ANYTHING, THIS WOULD NOT BE A RESTORATION OR A REMODEL, IT WOULD BE A REPRODUCTION.
AND THAT IS SIMPLY NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO HAVE AS REPRESENTATIVE OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
REPRODUCTIONS IS NOT THE WAY TO GO.
AS TO THE, UM, PROPERTY REPORT, THE STAFF HAS DONE A GOOD JOB AS USUAL, THOUGH I THINK THE, UH, SOME OF THE CRITERIA IS A LITTLE STRETCHED.
UH, MR. KNOX, UH, WAS A COMMERCIAL CONTRACTOR AND, UH, HAS DID DO A LOT OF BUILDINGS.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF AL CONTRACTORS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND AS FAR AS THOSE STAMPED UH, PORTIONS OF THE CONCRETE, UH, THEY'RE NOT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE NOT AFFECTING THOSE AT ALL.
UH, SALLY ROGERS HORNS HORNSBY, UH, WAS, IT WAS HER SISTER AS FAR AS I CONSIDER THAT I CAN FIGURE OUT WAS THE, UH, HORNSBY'S, UH, RO ROGERS HORNSBY'S MOTHER.
AND, UH, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'RE GETTING A LITTLE STRETCHED THERE, IN MY OPINION, OF WHO BECOMES A, UH, SIGNIFICANT PERSON THROUGH, UH, THAT KIND OF DISTANT OR THAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP.
THE, UH, INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDING.
IT'S FALLING DOWN AND IT, UH, EVERY SYSTEM IS GONE AND THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO REBUILD.
AND SO IT'S JUST NOT IMPOSES ON THE OWNER, UH, A BURDEN THAT CAN'T BE MET AND RESTORING IT.
SO WE WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE DEMOLITION PERMIT BE GRANTED.
WE WILL DO ANY OF THE, UH, DESIGNATION OF THE PROPERTY AND DOCUMENTATION THEREOF, BUT WE JUST DON'T FEEL THAT IT, THIS MAKES ANY SENSE TO, WE TAKE THIS PROPERTY AND TRY TO OWN IT HISTORIC OR TRY TO RESTORE IT 'CAUSE THERE'S NOTHING LEFT THAT IS STRUCTURALLY IN OR HAS ANY INTEGRITY TO BE REBUILT.
UH, MS. ALLEN, I'M LOOKING IN THE BACK.
THE ATTACHMENT THAT I WAS SENT ONLY HAD ONE PAGE.
UM, I DON'T, I DO KNOW THAT MR. MCCONE CALLED EARLIER
[01:30:01]
TODAY ASKING IF THE INSPECTION REPORT HAD BEEN POSTED.WHAT I RECEIVED WAS A ONE PAGE DOCUMENT AND THAT WAS, UH, UPLOADED.
BUT, UM, NOW HEARING THAT THERE'S A MULTI-PAGE DOCUMENT THAT, UH, IS EITHER LOST IN MY INBOX OR WAS THE FILE WAS TOO LARGE TO BE SENT TO ME, UM, WE CAN WORK WITH MR. MCCONE TO GET THAT, TO GET THAT TO YOU ALL.
BUT WE NOT, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
I WAS LED TO BELIEVE THIS MORNING THAT THE, ALL THE 12 MEGABYTE
AND WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A SITUATION HERE THAT WE CAN REALLY ADEQUATELY DISCUSS IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION, BECAUSE THAT'S THE BASIS OF THE WHOLE, THAT'S THE BASIS OF THE WHOLE CASE, IS THAT THERE'S NOTHING HERE TO FIX.
IF THERE WAS, WE WOULD BE HAVING A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION.
BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT TAKEN ANY ACTION.
BUT YOUR OWNER HAS ALREADY FILED A LETTER OF OPPOSITION TO ANY HISTORIC ZONING.
IS THAT IN ANTICIPATION OF SOMETHING THAT MIGHT HAPPEN? THAT IS A SITUATION WHERE PUTTING EVERYONE ON NOTICE THAT HE DOES NOT WANT TO BE ZONED HISTORIC RATHER EMPHATICALLY? UH, YES.
A PREEMPTIVE, A PREEMPTIVE STATEMENT OF FACT.
BUT THAT THERE, NO, NO ONE HAS REPRESENTED UP UNTIL THIS CASE THAT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE OTHER THAN ITS IMPORTANCE AS IT'S BEEN DESIGNATED IN THE INVENTORIES, UH, RIGHT.
THAT IS, THAT IS, THAT IS WHAT WE SAW IN THE, UH, REPORT OF STAFF.
AND AT THAT POINT, HE MADE THE DECISION THAT IT WAS BEST FOR HIM TO GO AHEAD AND GO ON RECORD STATING THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO BE ZONED HISTORIC AND THE REASON BEING THAT WE KNEW THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTIES.
BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE REPORTS, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE NO BASIS FOR DIS CONTINUING OUR DISCUSSION BECAUSE YOU HAVE DO NOT HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT WE ARE BASING OUR, UH, REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
OKAY, WELL, WE'LL STILL CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT THAT IS WE'LL TAKE, WE'LL TAKE THAT UNDER ADVISEMENT.
IS THERE SOMEBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION REQUEST? YEAH, WE HAVE UM, MARK ROGERS OR TANNER ROGERS.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR? IN FAVOR OF THE HIS OF THE DEMOLITION? DEMOLITION? YES, PLEASE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
HI EVERYBODY, MY NAME IS RAHEEM JAVAN MARDI, I AM OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
I A BUY A LAST MATE, AND UH, WHEN I WAS WALKING TO THE PROPERTY, THE AGENT OF THE CELLAR TOLD ME, THIS BUILDING, IT DOESN'T WORK TO KEEP IT, YOU HAVE TO TURN IT DOWN.
AND THEN WE WALK AROUND AND BE THINKING ABOUT IT.
SO IT IS NOT PART OF THE BUILDING IS GOOD TO KEEP IT, IT HAS TO GO.
AND UH, AND I BOUGHT THE PROPERTY AFTER THAT EVEN REALLY, I LIKE OLD BUILDING.
I BROUGHT IN FEW REMODELING COMPANY TO LOOK AT THE PROPERTY IT, IF POSSIBLE, TO KEEP IT.
AND THOSE, THOSE REMODEL COMPANY ATION ROOFING GAS, FGA, KOGA, EVERYBODY SAY IT DOESN'T WORK TO PUT MONEY IN IT THE BEST WAY, TURN IT DOWN.
IT'S NOT SAFETY FOR THE FAMILY LIVING IT BECAUSE THERE'S MOLD AROUND THE BASEMENT AND, AND THERE IS NO WAY TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, GOOD CONDITION.
THAT'S REASON WE DECIDED TO DEMO, TO DEMO MOW THE BUILDING.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, PLEASE, I'M READY TO ANSWER.
COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU KNOW HOW LARGE THE LOT IS? IS IT ACTUALLY TWO LOTS? YES SIR.
AND ON ONE OF THE LOTS THERE'S CURRENTLY NOTHING BUILT AT ALL.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTION? I'M ASSUMING THAT WHEN YOU WERE TALKING TO THE, UH, CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF THIS, YOU ALSO WERE AWARE THAT IT IS, UH, IN OUR INVENTORY OF POTENTIAL HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAT THIS WOULD BE A, A VALUABLE BUILDING BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED,
[01:35:01]
UH, DUE TO ITS AGE AS WELL AS SOME OF THE ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES.SO I I DIDN'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THOSE BECAUSE THE AGENT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE AGENT OF THE OWNER, THE OLD OWNER, HE TOLD ME THIS BUILDING, THEY DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF IT VERY GOOD.
IT WAS RENT RENTING TO PEOPLE AND THE, THE OWNER WAS VERY OLD.
HE DIDN'T COME TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
THE BUILDING IS VERY BAD CONDITION.
EVEN THE STUCCO FRAME IN THE WOOD, ALL IS IS DAMAGED.
THE FELLOW IS DAMAGED, CEILING IS DAMAGED, BUT YOU'RE VERY CLOSE TO, UH, SEVERAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN THAT PART OF TOWN.
AND SO I WOULD ASSUME THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO KNOW THE CONDITION WHETHER YOU WERE IN ONE OF THOSE DISTRICTS, WHICH YOU'RE NOT, BUT YOU POTENTIALLY COULD BE IF SOME OF THE OTHER CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES AROUND YOU AND YOURS WHERE SO DESIGNATED AT SOME FUTURE DATE.
AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF RESEARCH ON YOUR PROPERTY, SO IF YOU WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU MIGHT GO BACK TO YOUR REALTORS AND NO SHOULD HAVE.
WELL WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS MORE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED, THOUGH WE HAVE NOT HAD ACCESS TO IT.
SO WE'LL GO ON WITH A PUBLIC HEARING KNOWING THAT THERE'S STILL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT YOU'D LIKE US TO SEE.
IS THAT, IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION? ALRIGHT, UH, OUR FIRST SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS ACTUALLY JOINING US BY PHONE, UH, BARBARA EPSTEIN.
MS. EPSTEIN, CAN YOU SIGN ON? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE HEAR YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION THIS EVENING.
I KNOW THAT YOU MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE UNDERSTAND THE DELICATE BALANCE BETWEEN PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT CHOICES AUSTIN FACES TODAY AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT A SINGLE BUILDING CAN HAVE ON A STREET AND FOR AN ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD.
7 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE SITS AT THE ENTRANCE TO AN ARCHITECTURALLY INTACT STREET, ADJACENT TO AN EQUALLY HISTORIC CITY PARK ON A QUIET CORNER CORNER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ANY BUYER COULD TELL THAT THEY WERE ACQUIRING A DESIRABLE HISTORIC RESIDENCE WITH A GARAGE APARTMENT.
AND THAT MODERN REDEVELOPMENT MAKES MUCH MORE SENSE ALONG BUSIER NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSIT CORRIDORS.
THE EASTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALREADY DENSE WITH SIGNIFICANT MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING AND SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO KEEP ITS HISTORIC AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK.
7 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE IS A NOTEWORTHY EXAMPLE OF SPANISH COLONIAL REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE.
IT SHOULD BE PRESERVED, NOT TURNED INTO THE FIRST DOMINO THAT BEGINS THE ELIMINATION OF WHAT'S LEFT OF EASTWOOD'S DIVERSE OLD ARCHITECTURE.
THE HARD LESSON WE'VE LEARNED IN AUSTIN IS THAT SOMETIMES WE REGRET DESTROYING A PIECE OF EXQUISITE HISTORY.
ONCE GONE, YOU CAN'T GET IT BACK.
SOMEONE STILL DESERVES TO LIVE IN THAT GRACIOUS IN WELCOMING HOME, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU DENY THE DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR 7 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE.
AND BASED ON THE REMARKS THAT MR. ERDI MADE, I WANT TO GO OFF SCRIPT A TINY BIT HERE AND SAY THAT IT'S BEEN SAID AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HE SPENT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY ON THIS PROPERTY AND IF HE WAS GONNA SPEND THAT MUCH MONEY ON THE TAX ROLLS, IT'S VALUED AT OVER 800,000.
UM, THAT HE, IT SEEMS ODD THAT HE WOULD BUY A HOUSE THAT HE KNEW HE WOULD HAVE TO DEMOLISH.
AND HE, HE IS ALREADY AN OWNER OF 11 OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE DOES NOT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UH, WHO'S NEXT? ALRIGHT, WE HAVE ROBIN TURNER.
PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
I'VE COME TODAY TO URGE YOU TO PROTECT THE HOME AT 7 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE FROM DEMOLITION AND TO DESIGNATE IT A CITY HISTORIC LANDMARK.
THE HOUSE IS ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE IT IS A GATEWAY STRUCTURE AT THE ENTRANCE OF SPARKS AVENUE AND EASTWOOD PARK.
FOR 24 YEARS, I HAVE OWNED A HOME ON SPARKS AVENUE, A ONE BLOCK STREET WITH HISTORIC HOMES, AT LEAST ONE OF THEM THAT IS HISTORICALLY ZONED AND, UH, THAT BORDERS EASTWOOD
[01:40:01]
PARK, THE HEART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.AS OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE STATED, THE PARK HAS A RICH HISTORY OF MORE THAN 150 YEARS TO INCLUDE BEING ONE OF BEING THE ONE OF THE FIRST JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION LOCATIONS IN AUSTIN.
AND, AND THE FIRST SITE OF IGOR'S BIRTHDAY PARTY.
WELL, THE SEVEN OH ONE SPARKS GATEWAY HOUSE TO THE PARK AND TO THE STREET STANDS AS A HISTORIC SENTINEL OF MANY SUCH EVENTS AND MEMORIES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE THERE.
THE HOME IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE LOCAL CULTURE AND HISTORY.
THE ARCHITECTURAL QUALITIES AND STYLE OF 7 0 1 SPARKS HOME SPANISH REVIVAL STILL STANDS STRONG WITH ITS RED TILED ROOF, CHIMNEY, STUCCO WALLS, MILK, GLASS, WINDOW PANES, GOOD BONES, PLASTER WALLS INSIDE, UM, AND CLASSIC ROOF LINES.
IN FACT, THE STYLE IS ALSO A PART OF A, OF SPECIFIC OTHER HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL THAT ALSO ARE SPANISH REVIVAL.
AND IT OFFERS UNITY AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THE AREA WHICH WE VERY MUCH VALUE.
I WANT TO ADD THAT I PERSONALLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN THE HOUSE SEVERAL NIGHTS LAST WINTER BECAUSE MY FAMILY WAS RENTING IT FOR ONE, UH, ONE OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS.
SO I SLEPT IN THAT HOUSE AND I LIVED IN THAT HOUSE FOR DAYS AND WEEKS.
AND, UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT EVERYTHING YOU HEARD BEFORE, UH, I DID NOT SEE ANY EVIDENCE OF, I SAW EXCEPTIONALLY SOUND CONSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT.
IT NEEDED ONLY TO BE PAINTED PLUMBING WORKED FINE DURING ALL OF THE TIME THAT I WAS THERE.
THE ELECTRIC WORKED FINE, THE KITCHEN WAS GOOD, NOTHING WAS FALLING DOWN.
ALL KITCHEN APPLIANCES WERE FINE SINCE THEN.
AND BY THE WAY, I WAS IN THE BASEMENT AND DIDN'T SEE ANY MOLD.
UM, THE ROOF WHEN I WAS THERE WAS BRAND NEW IT.
MS. TURNER, CAN WE HAVE YOU WRAP UP NOW? PARDON? THAT'S THREE MINUTES.
OKAY, SO THAT'S, THE ROOF WAS BRAND NEW AS OF SEPTEMBER, 2002.
ALRIGHT, I WILL, UM, I BELIEVE THAT 7 0 1 SPARKS MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION, AT LEAST ON THE BASIS OF ITS ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY AND OF ITS VALUE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE PARK THAT BORDERS ITS LAND.
I URGE YOU TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON 7 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE.
RIGHT? WE HAVE CAN'T QUITE READ IT, BUT, UM, A MISS OR MRS. SWALLOW.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE WOODS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF PRESENTING FOUR LANDMARK APPLICATIONS BEFORE, UH, IN HYDE PARK, EASTWOOD, AND THE HANCOCK NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAVE BECOME LANDMARKS.
I I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF PRESERVATION OF THIS HOME.
UH, WHEN I MOVED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD 30 YEARS AGO, I WAS TOLD MY HOME WAS A TEAR DOWN.
NOW IT'S STILL STANDING VERY WELL ACCOMMODATES MODERN, LIVING IN A VERY GOOD LOCATION.
EAST WOODS PARK IS A VERY IMPORTANT, UH, ASSET TO, TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL AS THE CITY.
OTHER ASPECT, OTHER HISTORICAL PARTS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD INCLUDE THE YUGO COONEY HOUSE AND THE, UH, FITZGERALD SHORT HOUSE ON 32ND STREET, UH, WHERE THE SUSANNA DICKINSON HOMESTEAD WAS.
RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET IS THE ETLINGER HOUSE, WHICH IS A ARTS AND CRAFT SHINGLE SIDE HOME.
AND ACROSS THE STREET FROM IT, IT'S 7 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE.
IT'S THE, IT'S THE CASTLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S A LANDMARK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER HISTORIC DESIGNATION FOR IT.
NEXT WE HAVE LINDA TEAM, MS. TEAM.
STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
[01:45:01]
I, GOOD EVENING.THA THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME HAVE A FEW WORDS.
I DON'T WANNA, SOME OF WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IS REPETITIVE HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID BY MY OTHER NEIGHBORS.
UH, I ALSO, UH, LIVE IN A HISTORIC HOUSE ON BELLEVUE PLACE.
OUR HOUSE COULD HAVE BEEN CALLED A TORT, A TEAR DOWN.
UM, WE HAD, WE HAD REALLY HAD TO DO A LOT TO IT, BUT WE ALWAYS, EVERY TIME SOMEBODY COMES FORWARD TO TO DEMOLISH A HOUSE, THEY CLAIM IT CAN'T BE SAVED.
AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW THAT IT'S, IT, THEY ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE, INSPECTORS AND CONTRACTORS WHO WILL SAY, OH, IT'S A DOG.
UH, ANYWAY, I, UM, I, I DO SEE THIS HOUSE AS ICONIC.
IT VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UM, WE ENJOY THE, THE DENSITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE, WE HAVE OLD HOUSES MIXED UP WITH ACCESSORY BUILDINGS AND STUFF, AND LOTS OF RENTALS.
SOME OF THE HOUSES WERE BUILT BY HISTORIC BY, UH, PROFESSORS FROM UT BUT NOW THEY'RE RENTAL HOUSES FOR STUDENTS TO LIVE IN.
IT'S A NICE QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND STUDENTS, AND WE ALL GET ALONG WELL TOGETHER AND WE WALK THE STREETS AND WE WALK TO THE PARK AND WE SAY HELLO.
AND WE PASS THAT LITTLE HOUSE ON THE CORNER AND WE LOVE IT.
AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SAVED AS A, A VERY IMPORTANT ASSET TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
MS. TEAM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR MM-HMM.
OH, MS. ALLEN, SEE WHO WE'VE GOT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. TERRY MYERS.
AH, MS. MYERS, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, JUST TWO BLOCKS FROM THIS HOUSE.
UM, I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 32 YEARS.
THIS HOUSE IS A LANDMARK IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, I I WANNA TELL YOU IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT YOU WERE SHOWN, I'M SORRY, BY STAFF, DON'T DO IT JUSTICE.
IT'S A CHARMING, UH, SPANISH REVIVAL BUNGALOW.
AND IT WAS ONE OF FIVE THAT WERE ORIGINALLY, UH, DESIGNED AND BUILT.
AND THEN, UM, THIS IS THE LARGEST OF THE FIVE.
THE OTHERS ARE MORE LIKE, UM, SMALLER PUEBLO STYLE HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT KIND OF CAME OUT OF, UH, HUGO CUNY, WHO WAS A WELL-KNOWN ARCHITECT AND, AND ACTIVIST CITY PLANNER, UH, ON THE PARKS AND, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION, UH, CITY PLAN COMMISSION.
HE KIND OF STARTED THIS POST-WORLD WAR I IMPULSE TO, UM, THE, THE INFLUENCES OF THE PERIOD REVIVALS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND HE STARTED THAT WITH, UH, HIS OWN HOUSE AT THE CORNER OF 32ND AND DUVAL.
UM, IN THAT SORT OF SPANISH RENAISSANCE, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT THE WROUGHT IRON AND THE STUCCO AND THE, AND THE FLAT ROOFS AND THE TERRACES.
AND THAT CONTINUES ON DUVAL IN 32ND.
BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD ARE THE SMALLER HOUSES.
UM, AND I THINK ONE OF THE GREATEST HISTORIC, UM, ASPECTS OF THE HOUSE IS THAT IT WAS PART OF THAT SORT OF SMALL BUT UH, EFFECTIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ANYWAY.
UM, PERIOD REVIVAL, UH, SPANISH REVIVAL, BUT IT'S ALSO REPRESENTS THE EXPANSION AND GROWTH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
THEY HAD ACCESS TO THE DUVAL STREETCAR LINE.
THE STATION WAS JUST, UH, A BLOCK AWAY.
AND THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS, UM, IT WAS A MIDDLE CLASS AND, UH, IF THERE'S SUCH A THING, A PROFESSORIAL CLASS, THERE WERE PROFESSORS AND, UH, CLERKS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND PEOPLE WHO RAISED THEIR FAMILIES HERE, SORT OF IN THE SHADOW OF UT, WHICH WE STILL ARE TODAY.
UM, AND THIS, THIS HOUSE ALSO IS, IT'S, IT'S IN AN ENCLAVE THAT'S ALMOST FAIRY LIKE.
[01:50:01]
IT'S THE TREE CANOPY IS EXTRAORDINARY.UM, AND IT'S PART OF THE OLD WHEELERS GROVE, WHICH WAS THE KIND OF RECREATIONAL AREA THAT'S MOST STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH JUNETEENTH.
BUT BY THE TIME THESE HOUSES WERE BUILT, UM, THAT PROPERTY WAS TAKEN OVER BY A WESLEYAN COLLEGE SHORT-LIVED, AND, UH, THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS HAD MOVED.
CAN I WRAP UP? PLEASE WRAP UP.
UM, BUT THE, THE AMBIANCE OF THE GROVE OF WHEELERS GROVE REMAINED AT EASTWOODS PARK, WHICH HUGO CUNY CHAMPIONED AND GOT THE CITY TO BUY AND CREATE A PARK AND ITS ORIGINAL NAME AS A PARK.
THIS LITTLE PARK THAT WE HAVE WAS HARRIS PARK AFTER THE DEVELOPER, UH, SID AND HARRIS.
AND, UH, WHEN THE CITY ACQUIRED IT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK HE WAS TAKING CARE OF IT VERY WELL, UM, THEY BOUGHT THE PARK AND RENAMED IT EASTWOOD PARK AND THE TREE CANOPY AND THE VEGETATION AND EVERYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH THIS HOUSE AND ALL ALONG SPARKS ARE PART OF THAT, UM, THAT WHEELERS GROVE.
AND I KNOW YOUR QUESTION WILL BE WHY DON'T THE NEIGHBORS, UH, GET A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT? WE HAVE A LOT OF ABSENTEE OWNERSHIP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID, MR. JARVIN, MARTY OWNS 12 HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AND LIVES IN WEST AUSTIN.
UM, SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET THAT OWNER SIGN ON.
I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU MS. MYERS.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, I'M INTRIGUED BY THE GARAGE APARTMENT.
I KNOW IT WAS INDICATED TO BE A MORE MODERATE IMPORTANCE IN THE SURVEY.
HOWEVER, THE DOOR THAT, UH, WAS THERE, THESE, THESE LARGE ROLLING BARN DOORS LOOK LIKE THEY MAY HAVE BEEN ORIGINAL OR WOULD BE A LATER EDITION PERHAPS, OF SOMETHING THAT WAS SIMILAR.
UM, UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER HOUSES WHERE YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD AN OUTBUILDING THAT WAS CONVERTED OR SOME SORT OF CARRIAGE HOUSE IN THIS SITUATION, WAS THIS ACTUALLY A PURPOSE-BUILT ONE OF THE EARLY PURPOSE-BUILT GARAGE APARTMENTS BECAUSE OF PROXIMITY TO UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS? IT MAY HAVE BEEN.
UM, THE, THE OWNER DIED AND HIS WIDOW LIVED IN THE HOUSE FOR MANY YEARS UNTIL, UM, TO HAVE, THIS IS BEFORE SOCIAL SECURITY MEAGER AS IT IS, AND THE WIDOW TO, UM, TO GET SOME INCOME, UM, CONVERTED HER, SHE ENCLOSED HER SCREEN PORCH ON THE BACK OF THE HOUSE AND PUT TWO ROOMS IN HER HOUSE AND BUILT A LITTLE APARTMENT.
SO THE HOUSE IS ACTUALLY KIND OF A DUPLEX.
AND SHE ALSO BUILT THE, THE GARAGE APARTMENT, UH, FOR INCOME.
I DID AN ORAL HISTORY WITH THE, WITH THE OWNER'S, UM, LONG-TERM OWNER'S DAUGHTER WHO WAS THE EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE.
BARBARA HALE AND HER SON LIVED IN THE HOUSE AS WELL AND, AND HELPED TAKE CARE OF HER MOTHER IN THE HOUSE.
AND I'M, I CAN, WELL, AS YOU KNOW, I CAN TALK ON AND ON THERE MAY BE OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF MS. MYERS? ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? YES, MAYBE I HAVE ONE, SO SORRY.
YEAH, JUST LOOKING AT THE STREET VIEW, UH, I SEE THREE ELECTRICAL METERS.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THIS POTENTIALLY MAY BE THREE DWELLING UNITS.
SO, UH, WE WE'RE ASKING MS. MYERS, YOU SAY THERE ARE CURRENTLY THREE DWELLING UNITS IN THAT, THAT THE HOUSE, I ASSUME THAT THAT'S CORRECT, IS COMPOSED OF TWO APARTMENTS AND THEN THERE'S THE GARAGE APARTMENT.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED YOU BACK TO THE MICROPHONE, BUT JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, I GUESS BECAUSE OF THE CORNER ASPECT, THERE ARE THREE UNITS, TWO, UH, IN THE MAIN HOUSE AND ONE GARAGE APARTMENT.
AND THIS IS FROM THE HISTORIC PERIOD.
ANY, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE, UH, I WILL GIVE THE, UH, FIRST SPEAKER, THE APPLICANT, UH, A TWO MINUTE REBUTTAL.
MR. MCCONN, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
WE DO NOT DENY THAT THE HOUSE HAS BEEN A VERY STRONG PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UNFORTUNATELY WITHOUT THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE PREPARED FOR YOU, UH, THAT DIDN'T SOMEHOW GET TO YOU.
UH, OUR REBUTTAL IS SIMPLY THAT WE NEED TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE FULLY INFORMED OF THE SITUATION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF OPINIONS GOING AROUND.
THAT IS THE REASON WE HAVE GONE TO THE EXPENSE OF FIRING, FINDING
[01:55:01]
THE PEOPLE WHO DO THIS FOR A LIVING, TO GIVE YOU ANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES AND PICTURES OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PROPERTY.AND LET US TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE ONLY WAY TO MOVE FORWARD WAS FOR THE DEMOLITION.
SO WE WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU, UH, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY OR GIVE YOURSELVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT INFORMATION BEFORE MAKING ANY DETERMINATION OR RECOMMENDATION.
YEAH, UM, COULD YOU OR THE, THE OWNER SPEAK TO WHAT THEY BELIEVE THE CAPACITY OF THIS LOT IS? I MEAN, YOU ALREADY OWN NOW A A COMPLETELY EMPTY LOT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A HISTORIC STRUCTURE ON IT THAT'S JUST DIRECTLY TO THE EAST.
UM, IT'S BEEN SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CURRENTLY THREE UNITS ON THE LOT.
I JUST WONDER WHAT, UM, WHAT YOU SEE AS THE FUTURE OF THIS, THIS PROPERTY HAVE, AS I SEE IT, PROBABLY WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT A DUPLEX STRUCTURE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY CALL A, YOU KNOW, GRANNY FLAT AND A NEW HOUSE ON THE VACANT LOT.
SO THERE'S FEWER UNITS THAN IS CURRENTLY THERE AND THEN NO, THERE'S TWO LOTS THERE.
SO THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE THE VACANT LOT AND THEN ALSO REDEVELOP THE EXISTING 7 0 1, BUT THE THREE UNITS IS ACTUALLY JUST A GARAGE, VERY SMALL GARAGE APARTMENT OVER STORAGE AND THEN THE BACK PORCH AND TWO ROOMS OF THE EXISTING HOUSE.
SO THE HOUSE HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT CHANGED INTERIOR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? YES, COMMISSIONER ROCHE.
I JUST WONDER IF YOU WOULD, I'M GONNA, I RESPECT THE CONTRACTOR'S OPINION.
THEY MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THE, SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER HAVING A, A PROFESSIONAL, MAYBE AN ENGINEERING FIRM OR OTHER? NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL, SIR.
I EVALUATED, I, I'VE, UH, RESTORED MANY HOUSES MYSELF AND LIVED IN, LIVE IN, LIVE IN ONE NOW, AND I MOVED FROM THE UNIVERSITY AREA.
SO, UH, I'VE DONE THIS, UH, QUITE A BIT.
AND SO THAT'S THE REASON THEY ASKED ME TO HELP OUT IS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE DONE IT A LOT AND, UH, THERE'S JUST NOT A, I'LL BE HAPPY TO GET YOU AN ENGINEER'S REPORT IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL.
WE WILL GET YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO MAKE A INFORMED DECISION BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE HERE.
IT'S AN INFORMED DECISION BASED UPON THE VIABILITY OF THE STRUCTURE ITSELF.
WE JUST LOOKED AT IT, SENT PEOPLE TO LOOK AT IT AND WE, WE CAN'T SEE HOW WE WOULD DO ANYTHING MORE THAN DO A, A, YOU KNOW, A REPRODUCTION, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WE TEAR OUT MORE, ALL OFF, MORE THAN YOU EVER PUT BACK AND, YOU KNOW, JUST EVERY SYSTEM IN IT IS GONE AND WE HAVE TO BUILD IT BACK TO CODE AS YOU KNOW.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN, UM, I CERTAINLY WANNA SEE WHERE THE REPORT AND, UM, I'M SORRY WE DON'T HAVE THAT TODAY, BUT I AM LOOKING AT ZILLOW PHOTOS OF THE INTERIOR.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN PULL UP, BUT, OR IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THOSE, BUT I, I DIDN'T KNOW IF, IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THOSE, IF THAT'S, IF THOSE SEEM REPRESENTATIVE OF, OF WHAT THE INTERIOR LOOKS LIKE NOW.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THE ZELLO PHOTOS.
BUT, BUT I HAVE SEEN ZILLOW'S WORK
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, MS. MCCOMB? MR. MCCOMB, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SORRY WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE HAVE HAD, UH, NOT A SPECIFIC REQUEST FOR POSTPONEMENT, BUT BASED ON THE FACT THAT A CRITICAL DOCUMENT FROM THE OWNER, IT'S NOT PART OF OUR BACKUP, IT DOES SEEM TO BE A REASONABLE COURSE OF ACTION.
UH, I WILL LEAVE IT TO, TO YOU ALL TO DETERMINE IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
WHERE ARE WE AT ON TIMELINES SINCE THIS IS THE, UH, THE FIRST TIME IT APPEARED ON THE AGENDA WAS LAST MONTH AND IT WAS AN, UH, APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT, WHICH MEANS NONE OF THE TIME BETWEEN THEN AND NOW COUNTS TOWARDS THE 75 DAY CLOCK.
UM, SO YOU HAVE THREE MEETINGS INCLUDING THIS ONE.
UH, JUST AS A REMINDER, YOU NEED TO BOTH INITIATE AND RECOMMEND AT TWO SEPARATE MEETINGS PRIOR TO THE 75 DAY, UH, CLOCK RUNNING OUT.
SO, UM, JUST KEEPING THAT OUT IN THE OPEN.
YOU HAVE THREE MEETINGS, TWO OF WHICH IF YOU PLAN ON GOING A CERTAIN ROUTE, YOU NEED TO RESERVE, OTHERWISE YOU'RE FREE TO DO, DO WHATEVER COMES TO MIND.
[02:00:01]
WE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION AND HAVE THIS AT OUR NOVEMBER MEETING AND STILL IF WE BELIEVE IT IS WORTHY OF DESIGNATION, STILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THAT PROCESS.SO WE WE'RE, WE'RE KEEPING ALL OUR BETTS OPEN IF WE GATHER THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND SEE THIS NEXT MONTH, I'LL MOVE TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND POSTPONE THE, THIS TO OUR, UH, NEXT MEETING.
COMMISSIONER COOK MAKES THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
AND, UM, LET'S SEE ALL THOSE, UH, ANY, ANY DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER COOK I'LL NOTE I WAS INCLINED TO INITIATE, BUT OUT OF FAIRNESS TO THE OWNER WHO SAYS THERE IS INFORMATION THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN, I WANTED TO GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY BEFORE POTENTIAL INITIATION AND, UM, WITH THE CURRENT STAFFING SITUATION, MORE TIME IS ALWAYS WELCOME IN, IN CASES LIKE THIS FOR OUR STAFF.
SO I THINK IT'S THE BEST CHOICE TO MAKE.
COMMISSIONER MCW OR NOTHING, NOTHING.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, BEFORE WE, I'M, I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT I'LL, I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
UM, I, I THINK THAT I'M VERY DISHEARTENED BY THE APPLICANT'S RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION OF NUMBER OF UNITS THAT THEY THINK THIS LOT COULD HANDLE.
UM, THREE UNITS AND A, A STRUCTURE OF THIS NATURE, UH, FEELS WORTHY OF SAVING.
UM, BUT I, I AM ALWAYS WILLING TO LOOK AT THE, THE GREATER, GREATER GOOD AND, UH, IF THERE WAS SO A DIFFERENT TRADE OFF THEN THAT I MIGHT THINK ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BUT I, THE OWNER DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AWARE OF WHAT THAT WOULD BE AT THE MOMENT.
UH, TRYING NOT TO BE TOO COY OR POOR GOING AND ON AND ON ABOUT HOUSING, BUT, UH, VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE OWNER'S ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS? COMMISSIONER RUBIO? UH, I JUST WANNA THANK THE NEIGHBORS FOR COMING OUT.
THIS IS THE SECOND CASE THIS EVENING THAT WE'VE HAD GOOD COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEE BECAUSE IT'S EASY, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW HOW SWAMPED OUR STAFF IS AND IT'S REALLY EASY FOR US TO SAY THERE'S NO COMMUNITY VALUE TO US BECAUSE WE DON'T LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND, UH, WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR 20, 50, 30 YEARS AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S DESTROYED A LOT OF OUR BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT FOR THESE NEIGHBORS TO COME OUT AND DO THIS, UH, I APPRECIATE THAT AND I HOPE YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND HOPEFULLY GET THOSE LOCAL DISTRICTS DONE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE THESE ABSENTEE OWNERS OR OWNERS THAT HAVE OTHER AGENDAS, BUT THIS IS CLEARLY A LANDMARK BUILDING.
UH, THE FACT THAT OUR, OUR BACKUP DATA SAYS IT'S INDIVIDUALLY LISTED, ELIGIBLE LISTED, UH, THAT'S NOT A DECISION MADE LIGHTLY.
UH, THAT'S NOT A DECISION THAT I WOULD MAKE LIGHTLY, SO I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE THAT BACKUP.
SO, UH, THIS, THIS IS A GOOD ONE.
WE WILL HAVE, UH, HOPEFULLY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT CAN BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS IMMEDIATELY.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT POSTING.
UH, IF WE COULD MAKE THAT REQUEST OF STAFF.
ALRIGHT, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO POSTPONE TO THE NOVEMBER HEARING, KEEPING THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
IF THERE ANY OPPOSITION, OKAY, THEN UH, THAT IS UNANIMOUS AND WE WILL HAVE CONVERSATION IN NOVEMBER.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, THE NEXT ITEM
[20. PR-2023-089094 – 1100 E. 2nd St. – Discussion]
FOR DISCUSSION IS ITEM NUMBER 20.THAT'S 1100 EAST SECOND STREET AND THIS IS, AGAIN, A DEMOLITION PROPOSAL.
SOMEBODY'S DROPPED THEIR TICKET AND WE'LL HAVE IT UP HERE.
OH, SOMEBODY'S TICKET IS THERE.
YOU PROBABLY WANT THAT TO GET YOUR CAR OUT.
IS IT YOU? UM, I'M STUCK HERE.
DON'T FORGET A STICKER, TERRY.
THEY'RE EITHER ON THE TABLE OR YOU CAN GO TO SECURITY DESK.
UH, THIS IS AN APPLICATION THAT CAME BEFORE Y'ALL LAST MONTH.
UH, IT'S A PROPOSAL AT 1102 EAST SECOND STREET TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1900 HOUSE, WHICH WAS MOVED ONTO THE REAR OF THE LOT IN 1949 AND A CIRCA 1888 HOUSE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY USED AS A DUPLEX UNIT.
A IS A ONE STORY FOLK VICTORIAN STYLE HOUSE WITH PARTIAL WIDTH PORCH AND, UH, AN L PLANT.
IT FEATURES INTACT DETAILS OF THE ERA, INCLUDING STICK STYLE BRACKETS THAT THE PORCH SUPPORTS.
FOUR OVER FOUR GREENWOOD WINDOWS TRADITIONAL CORNICE RETURNS AND DOUBLE ENTRY DOORS WITH, UH, WITH TRANSOMS. UNIT B IS A ONE STORY SHOTGUN STYLE HOUSE WITH A PARTIAL WIDTH PORCH, DECORATIVE TRIM, AND A GABLE ROOF LINE.
THE PRIMARY BUILDING, UH, WAS CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1888 AND 1897.
UM, THE LOT AT THE CORNER OF MEDINA
[02:05:01]
AND SECOND WAS USED AS AN AUCTION YARD IN 1887.THE EARLIEST MENTION OF A HOUSE ON THAT LOT IS IN 1888, CONSTRUCTED AND OCCUPIED BY A CONTRACTOR AND BUILDER, JONAH VAN V FROM 1889 TO 91, THE PROPERTY WAS OCCUPIED BY A BUSINESSMAN AND A CLERK FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
BRICKLAYER AND PLASTER, JAMES E PALUS, WHO IS, WHO IS AFFILIATED WITH SOUTH AUSTIN PROPERTY INVESTOR.
CHARLES NEWING LIVED AND WORKED AT THE PROPERTY RECORDS OF A DEBT SETTLEMENT SHOW THAT PALUS AND HIS WIFE OWNED THE PROPERTY AT SECOND AND MEDINA, ALONG WITH NEWING AND ALONG WITH MORTGAGE AGENT ARL BROWN.
THEY WERE REQUIRED TO SELL THE PROPERTY WITH PROCEEDS GOING TO CONTRACTOR RC LAMBY IN 1894.
PHILIS REMAINED IN THE HOME UNTIL AFTER 1895, BUT BY 1897, CHARLES S SINON, WHO WAS LAMB'S CARPENTRY FOREMAN, HAD PURCHASED THE HOME.
SEN HAD WORKED AS A STAGE MANAGER AND CARPENTER FOR BOTH THE MILLET OPERA HOUSE AND THE HYDE PARK PAVILION BEFORE MOVING TO EAST AUSTIN TO WORK FOR LAMBE.
HE AND HIS WIFE, MARY ELIZABETH, RENTED OUT PART OF THEIR HOME TO TENANTS, INCLUDING SEVERAL NURSES AND A FAMILY OF STONE CUTTERS.
CY EXTENT WAS THE SON OF LOCAL GERMAN PIONEERS, AND HE APPLIED HIS TRADE AS A CARPENTER AND CABINET MAKER INTO HIS SEVENTIES.
OVER THE COURSE OF HIS CAREER, HE BECAME A PROMINENT AUSTIN BUILDER.
JOHN NASH PURCHASED A LOT IN 1938, AT WHICH TIME HE ADDED ONTO THE MAIN HOUSE PER CITY PERMITS.
HE RENTED OUT PART OF THE MAIN HOUSE AND MOVED THE SECONDARY DWELLING ADDRESSED AS 2 0 5 MEDINA STREET ONTO THE LOT FROM THE WEST LINE NEIGHBORHOOD IN 1949.
BOTH BUILDINGS WERE USED AS RENTAL PROPERTIES UNTIL AT LEAST 1959, THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY LIST, BOTH BUILDINGS AS ELIGIBLE FOR LOCAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION AND INDIVIDUAL LISTING OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
UM, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MEETS TWO CRITERIA.
UH, THE EAST AUSTIN SURVEY DESCRIBES THE BUILDING AS GOOD EXAMPLES AS THE FOLK OF THE FOLK VICTORIAN STYLE, UM, AND NOTES THE PROPERTIES ASSOCIATION WITH SEN CARPENTER AND BUILDER.
UH, THOUGH IT MAY ALSO BE ASSOCIATED WITH EARLIER CARPENTERS VAN V AND PALUS, UH, THOSE ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE HOME ARE MUCH SHORTER THAN SIG.
HOWEVER, THEREFORE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WAS TO CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING PER THE SURVEY.
RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD THE COMMISSION DECIDE AGAINST HISTORIC ZONING, STAFF RECOMMENDS ENCOURAGEMENT OF ADAPTIVE REUSE AND REHABILITATION, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT RELEASE OF THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE FOR EACH STRUCTURE ON THE LOT.
UH, THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR PREVIOUS MEETING AND UH, I BELIEVE WE HAD A REQUEST FROM THE OWNER.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, YEAH, HE'S ACTUALLY ON THE LINE.
SO YEAH, THE, UM, APPLICANT OF RECORD, WHICH WE'LL SPEAK FIRST IS, UH, JOSHUA BRONSMAN.
OH, IS HE AVAILABLE? HI THERE.
UH, JOSHUA BRONSMAN, UM, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF 1100 EAST SECOND STREET.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE COMMISSIONERS', UH, TIME THIS EVENING.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, DISCUSS SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL MATERIAL THAT I'VE SENT OVER, UH, SHOWING THE CONDITION OF BOTH DWELLINGS AND THEN ALSO A REPORT FROM A, UH, STRUCTURAL ENGINEER AS WELL THAT HAS COME OUT AND ASSESSED THE BUILDING.
UM, OBVIOUSLY IF WE WERE IN A, UH, WE WOULD DEFINITELY PREFER TO, UH, RAISE THIS BUILDING AND HAVE IT MOVED IF POSSIBLE.
UM, THE, THE BUILDING HAS BEEN SCABBED ON SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS, UM, THAT THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE, IT'S VERY HARD TO MAKE UP OF IT.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE 1100 EAST SECOND STRAIGHT MAIN, UH, P D F I PROVIDED, UM, YOU CAN GET A BETTER IDEA OF SOME OF THE CONDITION THAT THIS HOME IS IN, UM, SITING THAT IS NOT TO THE ORIGINAL SPEC, UH, AND QUITE A BIT OF DAMAGE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE HOME.
UH, FLOORS ARE BUCKLED INSIDE.
UM, ONCE YOU GET DOWN TO THE BOTTOM AND YOU CAN SEE THE INTERIOR KITCHENS, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE DAMAGE, UM, FROM THE HOME AND JUST, YOU KNOW, THE CONDITION OF, OF THE HOME OVERALL AT ITS CURRENT STATE.
UM, WE DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE ENTERTAINED A, A POSITION OF TRYING TO RENOVATE THIS HOME.
UM, I, I FOCUS ON MAJORITY OF PROPERTIES IN EAST AUSTIN.
I'VE DEALT WITH A LOT OF HISTORIC HOMES AND TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE CHARM OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS, IS CRITICAL.
BUT I I DO FEEL THAT UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THIS HOME IS SO FAR GONE THAT IT JUST DOES NOT MAKE FEASIBLE OR ECONOMIC SENSE TO PRESERVE IT, UM, COMPARED TO SCRAPING IT OR FINDING A, A, SOMEONE THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO RAISE THE HOME AND REMOVE IT AND, AND, AND TAKE THIS SOMEWHERE ELSE.
[02:10:03]
OKAY.COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? SO CAN YOU CONFIRM YOU'D BE DEMOLISHED IN BOTH OF THESE UNITS AND REPLACING THEM WITH A SINGLE FAMILY HOME? UM, THEY WOULD, IF SOMEONE WERE TO BUILD ON, THERE'S NO INTENT ON DEVELOPING THE SITE AT THE MOMENT, BUT IT WOULD BE UNDER THE CURRENT GUIDELINES OF THIS, WHAT CITY OF AUSTIN ALLOWS IN SUB CHAPTER S DESIGN STANDARDS UNTIL, UM, YOU KNOW, WE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY ON, UM, SOME OF THE SMALLER LOTS THAT HOPEFULLY MAY BE ABLE TO PARTAKE IN THE NEAR FUTURE ON, UH, SUBSTANDARD LOTS, SUBDIVIDING FOOTBALL ALONG THESE LINES.
SO THERE'S NO CURRENT PLAN OR TIMELINE? NO, THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, WE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND APPLY FOR THIS APPLICATION FIRST, UM, JUST TO HAVE THIS ASSURED THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, EITHER REMOVE THE HOME, UH, MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE OR, UH, DEMOLISH IT.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, AND I AM WORKING ON TRYING TO FIND, UH, A POSSIBLE OWNER TO TAKE OVER BOTH THESE STRUCTURES AND RAISE THEM.
AND COMMISSIONERS, JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS IS NOT IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, SO IF A DEMOLITION PERMIT IS GRANTED, THERE WOULD BE NO REVIEW OF ANY OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THIS FOR CLARIFICATION'S SAKE.
UH, AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO JUST STAY ON THE LINE FOR A BIT, IF WE MAY HAVE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FOR YOU, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION REQUEST IN FAVOR OF ION? OKAY.
DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO WOULD SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? YEAH, IN OPPOSITION.
UM, I BELIEVE IT'S CITY HOUSING COMMISSION, UH, BERTHA DELGADO DEL, YEAH.
CITY OF AUSTIN HOUSING COMMISSIONER BERTHA RENDON DELGADO DEMOGRAPHIC AREA 7 8 7 0 2.
SO THIS DOES FALL IN MY, MY ZONING AREA THAT I OVERSEE.
I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF EAST TOWN LAKE CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ADJACENT TO THE EDWARD RENDON PARK, WHICH IS MY GRANDFATHER.
SO I AM AN EAST AUSTIN NATIVE, 44 YEARS.
UH, WHEN I HEAR THE WORD DEMOLITION, I ACTUALLY WAS AT THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURE, UH, COMMISSION.
BUT WHEN I, I ALWAYS LIKE TO COME IN HERE TO CHECK IF ANY OF, UH, MY, UH, H HOUSES IN MY AREA ARE BEING DEMOLISHED.
SO I AM NOT PREPARED TO SPEAK AS FAR AS HAVING A PRESENTATION OF OPPOSITION, BUT I DO WANNA SUPPORT, UM, OUR STAFF HERE, UH, IN THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION, HISTORICAL STAFF.
WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANY MORE HOMES BEING DEMOLISHED IN EAST AUSTIN, ESPECIALLY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, THE INTEGRITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS VERY VALUABLE TO PEOPLE LIKE ME.
UH, THE HISTORY OF EAST AUSTIN IS, IS, IS ALL WE HAVE.
UM, WHEN IT'S BEING ERASED, AS YOU CAN SEE WITH GENTRIFICATION, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY LIVING THERE ANYMORE.
WE'RE BARELY HANGING ONTO OUR PROPERTY, UH, WHICH IS VALUED MORE THAN THIS PROPERTY.
BUT WE DO NOT HAVE INTENTIONS TO SELL OR DEMOLISH.
AND I ENCOURAGE THIS COMMISSION TO PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE HISTORICAL DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE HERE TO DO THAT JOB.
IT'S TO PRESERVE PRESERVATION IS IMPORTANT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS MISSION OF THIS COMMISSION IS, IS TO PRESERVE HOMES, ESPECIALLY IN THE DISTRICT AND THE AREAS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM, PEOPLE FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I WANT TO SEE IF THE OWNER'S WILLING, UH, TO DO AN ENTIRE RENOVATION OF, OF THIS, OF THIS PROPERTY.
EVEN MAYBE EVEN, UM, LOOKING INTO SEEING HOW THE HISTORICAL, UH, LANDMARK CAN GIVE RESOURCES TO THEM, UH, FOR THE BENEFITS OF KEEPING THESE PROPERTIES.
UH, THE TWO DUPLEX, HOW THEY DIVIDE IT INTO DUPLEXES IS VERY, UM, IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE NEED MORE HOUSING.
SO TO TRY TO DEMOLISH BOTH OF THESE DUPLEXES AND THEN BUILT, I DON'T KNOW, ONE BIG, UM, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO SITE PLAN EVEN BEING PRESENTED HERE.
SO, I MEAN, HOW CAN WE DEMOLISH A HOUSE OR RELOCATE A HOUSE WHEN WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S GONNA BE PUT THERE? THAT, THAT CONCERNS ME.
UH, BECAUSE THERE IS APPLICANTS AND OWNERS THAT ARE MOVING HERE FROM DIFFERENT STATES IN DIFFERENT CITIES AND MAKING A PROFIT OFF OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD, A HISTORICAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE'RE TIRED OF, OF BEING THAT EXPERIMENT.
WE'RE TIRED OF GOING BACK AND FORTH AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY YOU ARE CHANGING ZONINGS ON US LEFT AND RIGHT.
WE'RE GETTING, UH, ZONING REQUESTS BY THE DAY.
I, I HAVE ABOUT A WHOLE STACK OF ZONING REQUESTS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I'M ADJACENT TO THE WATER.
SO I ASKED ESAS, IF YOU'RE NEW TO AUSTIN, IF YOU, UH, DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN, PLEASE GET TO KNOW IT.
COME OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND SEE THE HOMES.
[02:15:01]
AND, AND I'VE SAVED A LOT OF HOMES AND A LOT OF, AND YOU CAN LOOK ME UP AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE I HAVE BEEN IN THIS COMMISSION FOR YEARS.I'VE WAITED FOR THREE HOURS TO TALK.
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THAT TIME TO DO THAT.
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE, THE, EVEN THE ENERGY OR EVEN THE CAPACITY TO DO IT.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN, IN BEHALF OF MY CONS, CONSTITUENTS AS A HOUSING COMMISSIONER.
FOR SEVEN YEARS I'VE SERVED IN NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING, HOUSING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
WE'RE THE POOR, IS THE POOR, AND WE'RE LOSING THE POOR.
LIKE WE LOST THE BROWN AND THE BLACK.
SO I ASK YOU ALL WHY YOU'RE UP HERE.
BE OUR VOICES, PROTECT OUR HOMES, PROTECT OUR FAMILIES, PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY HAVE TURNED AUSTIN INTO THE BIGGEST TOURIST ATTRACTION OF ALL TIMES HERE.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR CITIES AND OUR SCHOOLS LOOK LIKE.
MY SCHOOL WAS CLOSED DOWN TWO YEARS AGO DURING A PANDEMIC.
MY GRANDFATHER'S HOUSE, EDWARD RENDON'S HOUSE WAS DEMOLISHED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BILL RENTERIA.
SO AS THE PEOPLE CONTINUE TO SELL OUT, AS THE POLITICIANS ARE HERE TO MAKE MONEY AND SELL OUT THEIR CONSTITUENTS, I ASKED THIS COMMISSION OF VOLUNTEERS, AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE HARDWORKING VOLUNTEERS TO PLEASE PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY, ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE IN MY BORIO AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I CAME TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS TO, TO REALLY BE MINDFUL WHEN YOU SEE THESE DEMOLITION APARTMENTS COMING THROUGH, WHOSE GRANDPARENTS' HOUSE WAS THAT? WHOSE PARENTS' HOUSE WAS THAT? CAN THEY COME BACK AND SEE THAT HOUSE AGAIN OR IS IT NOT GONNA BE THERE? SO AGAIN, WE HAVE COME IN HERE MANY YEARS FOR MANY YEARS TRYING TO SAVE THESE HOUSES, AND SO MANY OF US ARE TIRED.
AND I'M VERY, VERY GRATEFUL THAT I WAS ABLE TO CATCH THIS TODAY.
BUT I CAN SAVE EVERY STREET THAT SURROUNDS OUR CORRIDOR.
MS. DEDO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND, UM, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE, THE ENERGY AND THE EFFORT, UH, OF YOU, YOUR, YOUR COMMITMENT TO, TO BRINGING THIS IN FRONT OF OUR COMMISSION IN PREVIOUS CASES AS WELL.
UM, IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE WHO'S GOING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? UM, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
SO THE, UH, ORIGINAL APPLICANT, UH, MR. BREMAN DOES GET A TWO MINUTE REBUTTAL.
OKAY, MR. BREMAN, IF YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE THE TIME FOR THE REBUTTAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M AN EAST AUSTIN RESIDENCE.
I, I WENT TO HOUSTON TILL, AND, UH, I'VE BEEN OVER ON THE EAST SIDE FOR, YOU KNOW, GOING ON 13 YEARS NOW.
UH, I ACTUALLY, MY FIRST HOME IS AFTER A HISTORIC, UH, NOT YET TO BE DEEMED HISTORIC, BUT WILL BE ONE DAY AFTER AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER HERE IN EAST AUSTIN BERN, BERNICE'S HEART.
SO I'M DEFINITELY, I'M VERY EMPATHETIC TOWARDS, UM, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC ZONINGS.
THE THOMAS HOUSE, MR. GEORGE THOMAS ON EAST 11TH STREET HAD A VERY BIG IMPACT IN MY REAL ESTATE ADVENTURES YEARS AGO.
UM, AND THAT WAS ONE TO SEE IF YOU'D BE PRESERVED.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS HOME, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PHOTOS YOU MENTIONED THE DUPLEX, YOU KNOW, THE, IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S A SCABBED ON ADDITION THAT HAS BEEN PUSHED OFF OF ONE LIVING ROOM AND A WALL BEING PLACED UP.
I MEAN, THIS HOME IS, THESE HOMES ARE VERY UNINHABITABLE AND, YOU KNOW, HOUSING IS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE.
UM, BUT THIS HOME AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO IS JUST NOT FEASIBLE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE GENTLEMAN THAT OWNED THIS PROPERTY, NED GRANGER, PURCHASED THESE, THESE HOMES, THIS HOME BACK IN 1980 APPROXIMATELY.
AND HE HAS PURCHASED SEVERAL HOMES, UM, THROUGHOUT AUSTIN AND HAS ALWAYS KEPT THEM, UM, AT AFFORDABLE ENTRY LEVEL FOR THE RESIDENTS OF TOWN.
HAVE NEVER BOOTED OR EVICTED ANYONE, UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE OR RECOLLECTION.
UM, SO WE DEFINITELY ARE VERY, YOU KNOW, EMPATHETIC TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, HOMES LIKE THIS.
AND I MENTIONED AGAIN, IF, IF THIS HOME WAS IN A POSITION TO BE PRESERVED, UH, I THINK PRESERVATION IS CRITICAL, UM, OF, YOU KNOW, HOMES OF THIS ERA.
THERE'S AMPLE HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESERVED AND BROUGHT BACK AND GIVEN A SECOND LIFE, UH, IN STATES OR CHAVEZ, SOUTH HOLLY, ALL THAT AREA.
UM, THIS HOME, UNFORTUNATELY, I JUST SEE IT SO FAR PAST, UM, ITS LIFE.
AND I I I'M REQUESTING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, OBTAINING A DEMOLITION OR RELOCATION PERMIT.
MR. BRUNSON, YOU MENTIONED THE HABITABILITY OF THE UNITS.
ARE, ARE EITHER OF THEM CURRENTLY INHABITED? DO YOU KNOW? THERE'S TWO OF THEM ARE NOT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ON THESE FOLKS SHOULD NOT BE LIVING IN THESE HOMES.
I, I'LL BE QUITE HONEST, IT'S JUST,
[02:20:01]
YOU CAN SEE THE, THE, THE PHOTOS OF THE RESTROOM.I MEAN, THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL 19 60 70 REMODELS.
IF, IF THAT'S THE ERA OF THESE.
UM, BUT THE TWO OF THE UNITS ARE UNINHABITED AND THERE IS ONE TENANT THAT IS HAVING CURRENTLY ON A MONTH TO MONTH RENT THAT'S, UM, LIVING THERE.
OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? YES, SIR.
I HAD TROUBLE, UH, HEARING A REFERENCE YOU MADE TO BERNICE HART.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? UM, I, I PURCHASED MS. BERNICE HART'S HOME.
THAT WAS THE FIRST HOME THAT I EVER PURCHASED, UM, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO, UM, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE ROSEWOOD COURTS.
AND, UM, ACTUALLY HAVE MET SEVERAL FOLKS IN THE, IN ESAU.
SO A LOT OF THE, THE HISPANIC AND AND BLACK COMMUNITY THAT HAD BEEN EDUCATED BY MISS BERNICE HART AND HAD SHARED THEIR STORIES WITH ME AND ALSO HAD AN ARTICLE, UH, ABOUT MS. HART, UH, PUT INTO THE ESAU MAGAZINE THAT IS SPONSORED JUST TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO REMEMBER A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY THAT THAT HAS LEFT OVER AND THE IMPACT THAT SHE'S HAD, NOT JUST ON, UH, WHAT I'VE UNDERSTOOD FROM HER, BUT ALSO MANY GENERATIONS.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? EXCUSE ME.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE HAVE ALREADY POSTPONED THIS ONCE, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
SO THE 75 DAY CLOCK, UH, STARTED THE LAST MONTH, WHICH MEANS INCLUDING THIS MEETING, THERE ARE TWO MEETINGS LEFT.
SO WERE WE TO TAKE ACTION THAT WOULD REQUIRE HISTORIC ZONING? IF WE DID NOT DO THAT AT THIS MEETING, THERE WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH TIME.
YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE NEXT MEETING.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO INITIATE AT THIS MEETING AND THEN RECOMMEND AT THE NEXT ONE.
UM, IF YOU DO NOT INITIATE, THEN YOUR OPTIONS ARE TO EITHER TAKE NO ACTION, POSTPONE, OR RELEASE.
COMMISSIONERS, I'LL MOVE TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND INITIATE, UM, HISTORIC ZONING, THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURAL AND HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, MAKING THE MOTION AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
WOULD YOU SPEAK TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? SO I'LL, I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS ON THE 2016 HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY AS POTENTIAL LANDMARK.
SO THAT NUMBER ONE, UH, IT WOULD TAKE A LOT FOR ME NOT TO SEND UP SOMETHING THAT IS ON THE PUBLIC RECORD AS BEING ELIGIBLE TO BE A LANDMARK AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SHOULD HAVE BEEN KNOWN.
SO IT SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISING ANYONE.
AND, UH, THE NON HISTORIC CONDITIONS THAT WERE REFERRED TO, THOSE COULD BE REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH MORE WELL-BUILT MODERN ADDITIONS.
THE, I AM THE FIRST TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHEN SOMETHING IS NOT SALVAGEABLE BASED ON, ON EVIDENCE.
I'VE, I HAVE, MY HISTORY WILL SHOW THAT, THAT I HAVE SUPPORTED DEMOLITIONS BASED ON CONDITIONS.
THE PHOTOS I SAW DID NOT SUPPORT THAT IN MY MIND.
I WOULD BE OPEN TO A SITE VISIT IF THE OWNER WANTED TO REACH OUT TO STAFF TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME TO SEE THAT MORE IN PERSON.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T REALLY SHOW A LOT IN, IN PHOTOS, BUT THE THINGS THAT WERE POINTED OUT IN PHOTOS ALL SEEM LIKE PRETTY, PRETTY MINOR THINGS.
PURE AND BEAM HOMES CAN BE LEVELED.
THESE HOMES OF THIS ERA ARE BUILT VERY SOUNDLY AND IT SURE LOOKS STRAIGHT AND TRUE TO ME.
SO IN TERMS OF IT BEING A LOST CAUSE, UH, I JUST WASN'T CONVINCED OF THAT BASED ON THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED.
AND, UM, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
MR. RUBIO? YEAH, UM, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING HE'S SAYING.
I I WANT TO ADD THAT COMMUNITY VALUE.
UM, YOU KNOW, MY SHORT TIME HERE ON THIS DAIS, NO ONE'S REALLY EXCITED ME
SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT HERE TO REPRESENT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, WE DO NOT HAVE TIME TO COME OUT HERE AND DO THIS ALL NIGHT.
UM, THEY'D RATHER TAKE, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY AND BE KICKED OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN.
AND FOR THOSE HOUSING ADVOCATES AND DENSITY ADVOCATES, PRESERVATION IS NOT ANTI THAT WE WANT TO KEEP COMMUNITIES, WE WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES.
AND, UH, THESE ARE THE TYPE OF INCENTIVES FOR HISTORIC ZONING THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN THESE BUILDINGS.
AND REALLY THE CITY SHOULD BE DOING MORE TO ALLOW OLDER PEOPLE, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE WITH THAT DON'T HAVE THOSE RESOURCES TO REPAIR THEIR HOMES.
UH, WE'VE SAID THAT MANY A TIMES.
LOOK AT SAN ANTONIO, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS A DISGRACE, BUT WHAT SAN ANTONIO DOING IS KICKING OUR BUTTS.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? I WOULD JUST ECHO, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE HOME AND, AND NOTE THAT FOR THE RECORD, I WAS PRETTY DISAPPOINTED IN THE ENGINEERING REPORT PROVIDED, WHICH
[02:25:01]
LACKED DEPTH AND SUBSTANCE.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS? I I, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION.
I THINK IN THIS CASE I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE OWNER TO MAYBE SORT THROUGH SOME OF WHAT THIS ASSET THAT THEY OWN, UH, REPRESENTS.
UH, THEY'VE REFERENCED SOME OF THE PARTS THAT YES, ARGUABLY ARE NOT GOING TO BE EASY TO SALVAGE, BUT THOSE ARE THE LATER ADDITIONS.
I THINK THE CORE OF THE MAIN HOUSE LOOKS LIKE THERE IS A LOT OF VALUE THERE.
AND THEY ALSO, AS AN OWNER WHO SAID THEY HAVEN'T COME UP NECESSARILY WITH PLANS, I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY COULD GET CREATIVE WITH PERHAPS SOME SUPPORT AND MAKE FULL USE OF SOME OF THE RESOURCES THAT POTENTIAL HISTORIC ZONING COULD OFFER THIS PROPERTY.
NOW, I, I AM RECOGNIZING THAT THE HOUSE AGAINST THE ALLEY IS PROBABLY NOT OF THE SAME QUALITY.
UH, I THINK THAT RIGHT NOW THE TWO WORK WELL TOGETHER AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD INITIATE THE ZONING AND RECOGNIZE BOTH STRUCTURES.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THE AGE OF THE, UH, VICTORIAN ERA HOUSE, THE, UH, ASSOCIATIONS WITH IT PROBABLY MAKE IT A STRONGER OF THE TWO.
AND I DO THINK THAT WE COULD BE FLEXIBLE IN SOME AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION WITH THE OWNER IF THEY WANTED TO COME AND PROPOSE A CREATIVE SOLUTION THAT WE COULD ALL SUPPORT.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY HOPE THAT SOMETHING VERY GOOD WOULD TAKE PLACE, UH, IN THE COURSE OF OUR MAKING THIS PRIORITY KNOWN.
AND ON ON THAT NOTE, I WOULD EXTEND AN INVITATION TO THE APPLICANT, UH, TO ATTEND THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT TUESDAY.
IT'S A GOOD OPEN FORUM, UH, TO DISCUSS IN DETAIL THE POTENTIAL FOR PROPERTIES LIKE THIS.
IF I JUST WANT TO ADD, IF THIS WERE TO PASS, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS JUST THE START.
SO I THINK WE WOULD NEED A, YOU KNOW, A LOT MORE COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
UM, EVEN AT OUR NEXT MEETING AND EVEN AT THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
I WILL SAY, UH, IF YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, READ IN THE NEWS PLANNING AND ZONING WANTS TO SEE EQUITY IN PRESERVATION, THEY WANT TO SEE EAST AUSTIN SITES.
AND SO THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF US TRYING TO HELP SAVE SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS IN EAST AUSTIN, NOT JUST WHAT WE TYPICALLY SEE AS THE CANT TOP CANDIDATES FOR PRESERVATION.
ANY FURTHER CONVERSATION? DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, INITIATE THE HISTORIC ZONING ON THIS PROPERTY.
AND SECOND, IT, UM, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHO MADE THE MOTION.
AND, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ANY OPPOSED? I SEE NO OPPOSITION.
UH, SO WE ARE GOING FORWARD WITH THE INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
WE WILL THEN HAVE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AND ADDITIONAL CHANCE TO DIG INTO THE INFORMATION, UH, AND THEN TAKE ACTION FOR THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION AT NEXT MEETING.
THAT BRINGS US TO, UH, MR. MS. CONFERS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ON THIS CASE? UH, NO CHAIR.
ALRIGHT, I, THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM 23 8 12
[23. PR-2023-117075 – 812 W. 12th St. – Discussion]
WEST 12TH STREET.AND THAT ALSO IS A, UH, REQUEST FOR TOTAL DEMOLITION.
UH, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1946 COMMERCIAL BUILDING.
UH, IT'S A ONE STORY RECTANGULAR P PLAN THREE BAY BRICK COMMERCIAL BUILDING WITH METAL AND PLATE GLASS STOREFRONTS, A BRICK PARAPET CORRUGATED METAL FULL WITH AWNING TILE WAINSCOATING, AND COINED BRICK POSTS SE SEPARATING EACH BAY.
UM, THIS PROPERTY CAME BEFORE US IN 2021, UH, WHEN THE FOLLOWING RESEARCH RESULTS WERE SUBMITTED UNDER CASE PR 2 2 1 0 8 7 4 9 5, WHICH WAS INDEFINITELY POSTPONED AND SUBSEQUENTLY WITHDRAWN, UH, FOR THE RESEARCH DID NOT YIELD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
THIS BUILDING APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN BUILT IN 1946, ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO BUILDING PERMIT RECORD TO CONFIRM THE DATE OF CONSTRUCTION.
THERE WAS A MOM AND POP GROCERY STORE ON THE SITE IN LATE THIRTIES.
UM, BUT THAT BUILDING WAS RAISED IN A PERIOD OF VACANCY ENSUED FOR THE SITE UNTIL JUST AFTER WORLD WAR II.
RECORDS INDICATE A WATER SERVICE PERMIT FOR THIS ADDRESS IN LATE 1946.
AND CITY DIRECTORIES SHOW THREE BUSINESSES IN THIS BUILDING STARTING IN 1949.
THE BUSINESSES REMAIN STABLE THROUGH THE 1950S.
UH, THEY INCLUDED A BEAUTY SALON, A PAINT AND WALLPAPER STORE, AND AN ICE CREAM PARLOR.
THE 2020 WEST DOWNTOWN SURVEY LISTS THE BUILDING IS CONTRIBUTING TO POTENTIAL LOCAL AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
UH, THE BUILDING RE APPEARS TO RETAIN HIGH TO MODERATE INTEGRITY.
UM, AWNINGS AND WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPLACED.
[02:30:01]
HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.UM, THE BUILDING IS A NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE, ONE PART COMMERCIAL BLOCK, UM, AND HOUSED THREE BUSINESSES FROM THE DATE OF ITS INSTRUCTION THROUGH THE END OF THE FIFTIES.
UH, HOWEVER, DESPITE THEIR LONGEVITY AT THIS LOCATION DURING THE HISTORIC PERIOD, NONE OF THESE BUSINESSES WERE INDIVIDUALLY SIGNIFICANT.
UM, AND WHILE THE INITIAL STAFF REPORT FOUND THAT THE BUILDING MAY HAVE COMMUNITY SIGNIFICANCE AS A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE, COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS FURTHER RESEARCH AFTER THE INITIATION REQUEST DID NOT YIELD ADDITIONAL CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION TO SUGGEST THAT THE PROPERTY POSSESSES A UNIQUE LOCATION, PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC OR SIGNIFICANT FEATURE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE CHARACTER IMAGE OR CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE CITY, NEIGHBORHOOD, OR A PARTICULAR DEMOGRAPHIC.
THOUGH THE BUILDING FORMERLY HOUSED THE NO COMPLIANCE GATE SHOP, A SIGNIFICANT LOCAL LEGACY BUSINESS, THE SHOP'S ASSOCIATION WITH THE BUILDING DID NOT TAKE PLACE WITHIN THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
UH, THEREFORE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO INCUR REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
AS FURTHER RESEARCH FOLLOWING THE 2021 RECOMMENDATION, UH, DID NOT YIELD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SUFFICIENT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE BUILDING MET THE MERITS OF HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
AND THIS IS, UH, PARTICULARLY, UM, WHEN WE CONSIDER, UM, THE, UH, MORE ARCHITECTURALLY AND AND ASSOCIATION, A SIGNIFICANT, UH, WAREHOUSE DISTRICT PROPERTIES THAT WERE, UM, APPROVED FOR DEMO IN 2021 AND 2022, UM, AFTER, UH, THIS CASE HAD COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? YES, COMMISSIONER LA ROCHE.
I, I THOUGHT WE'VE SEEN THIS SINCE 21 BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I WAS ON THE DIOCESE OF 21.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT LONG AGO.
YOU WERE, I REMEMBER I WAS THERE.
SO 70 PEOPLE, THEY HAVE SINCE BEEN RELOCATED NEXT DOOR.
THE TENANT HAS BEEN RELOCATED NEXT DOOR.
SO THIS IS A VACANT PROPERTY, SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT HERE.
OR THEY'RE ABOUT TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL.
UM, IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS OF STAFF, THEN WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
YEAH, WE HAVE THE APPLICANT OF RECORD.
UM, MOLLY BETH MALCOLM, PLEASE COME DOWN.
AND THE NAME THAT YOU SEE IS NOT MY NAME.
AND, AND I GUESS WE'RE ALL OWNERS OF THIS.
I'M EXECUTIVE VICE CHANCELLOR OF OPERATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOR AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT.
AND A C C IS THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY.
UH, WE ARE, WHEN WE BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY AND ALL THE OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE AREA, IT WAS WITH THE INTENTION AND PART OF ALWAYS THE MASTER PLAN TO MAKE OUR RIO GRANDE CAMPUS EVEN BETTER OVER TIME.
AND I FEEL SURE MOST OF YOU ARE AWARE OF WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE BEAUTIFUL RIO GRANDE CAMPUS.
AND IT ALSO RECEIVED A LEAD PLATINUM AWARD RECENTLY, WHICH WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.
AND THEN ACROSS THE STREET FROM THAT IS THE OLD GYMNASIUM, WHICH WE HAVE ALSO RESTORED.
AND WITH A $5 MILLION GRANT FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS, IT IS NOW, UM, A, A COLLABORATORIUM WORKING WITH THE ARMY FUTURES COMMAND AND WITH THE, UH, THE ARMY SOFTWARE FACTORY, WHICH IS LOCATED IN OUR RIO GRANDE BUILDING.
OUR CURRENTLY, UH, WELL, WE ARE PLANNING FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT ON ALL OF THOSE PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE.
AND AT THE MOMENT WE WANT TO CLEAN UP THIS SITE THAT, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S PRETTY BLIGHTED AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE THAT FROM THE PICTURES.
UM, AND THIS IS THE ONLY SPACE LEFT ON THAT STREET THAT HAS NOT BEEN DEMOLISHED AT THIS POINT.
YOU DID HEAR IN, IN 2021 FROM THE SKATE SHOP PEOPLE THAT WERE INTERESTED IN SKATE SHOP.
AND I THINK PEOPLE ADMITTED THAT DIDN'T HAVE TO DO WITH HISTORICAL, IT WAS ABOUT THE SKATE SHOP, BUT A C C WORKED CLOSELY WITH THEM.
AND IF YOU ARE AWARE OF THAT AREA, YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY A VERY PRETTY GARAGE RIGHT DOWN THE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THIS BUILDING THAT HAS A STOREFRONT SPACE BUILT INTO IT.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE SKATE SHOP IS MOVED.
SO THEY HAVE A BEAUTIFUL NEW SPACE AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO SEE IT, YOU SHOULD GO BY IT AND SEE IT.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, WE'VE ALREADY CLEARED THE BUILDINGS THAT WERE NORTH AND EAST OF EIGHT 12 12TH AND DESIGNATED THAT LAND FOR FUTURE CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT TOO.
AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THAT AREA, WE HAVE DONE IN, UH, COLLABORATION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN, IN GETTING BUY-IN TO THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS.
EIGHT 12, UH, 12TH STREET IS THE LAST BUILDING THAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED IN PREPARATION FOR FUTURE COLLEGE USE.
AND THEN I ALSO WOULD SAY THIS BUILDING ISN'T APPROPRIATE FOR ANY KIND OF INSTRUCTIONAL USE.
[02:35:01]
WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT IT, WE AT LEAST LET SOMEBODY RENT IT FOR THE TIME BEING.YOU KNOW, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANYBODY IN THE OTHER TWO BAYS.
I I DON'T KNOW WHEN TO TELL YOU ANYBODY WAS THERE FOR THE LAST TIME.
I'VE BEEN AT COLLEGE SINCE 2012.
BUT, UM, AND THIS WAS THE ONLY ONE.
AND ONCE THAT MOVED OUT, THERE IS NOT, THERE ARE NO UTILITIES OR ANYTHING TURNED ON THE BUILDING WOULD HAVE TO BE BROUGHT UP TO CODE IF WE WERE TO LEASE IT.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, LEASING IS NOT WHAT WE DO ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND SO WE ARE ARE LOOKING, SO IT'S NOT, IT IS UNSUITABLE FOR ANY OTHER USE.
AND GRAFFITI IS A HUGE ISSUE AS I'M SURE THAT YOU CAN SEE ON THAT, INCLUDING HAVING PEOPLE CLIMBING UP EVEN ON THE, UH, NOT THE ROOFTOP, THE, UH, KIND OF THE PORT, WELL, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL THE AWNING THAT'S OVER IT, THEN IT ALLOWS THEM TO GET UP EVEN HIGHER AND TO GET ONTO TO OTHER BUILDINGS AS WELL.
SO, UH, AND IT HAS ALSO BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A PROBLEM, OUR GARAGE.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THAT BUILDING AND THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS WITH SAFETY AND THINGS IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
SO WE ARE LOOKING TO DEMOLISH THAT BUILDING.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? NO, I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHETHER THERE WAS ANY CONSIDERATION OF REUSING THE FACADE AND WHATEVER MAY GO THERE IN THE FUTURE WITH, YOU HAVE THE STOREFRONT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE DONE GREAT THINGS AROUND THERE.
YOU ALSO HAVE THE STOREFRONT NEXT TO IT.
IT SEEMS LIKE THAT COULD BE A NATURAL CONTINUATION OF A STOREFRONT.
AND AND THE REASON IS WE, THERE, THERE ARE MASTER PLANS AT THIS MOMENT, BUT I'LL SAY THIS ABOUT MASTER PLANS.
WHEN, WHEN WE BOUGHT HIGHLAND MALL, WE HAD NO IDEA THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE BUYING HIGHLAND MALL.
SO IT WAS NEVER IN OUR MASTER PLAN EITHER.
AT THE PRESENT TIME, THE MASTER PLAN CALLS FOR EXTENDING THE GARAGE, WHICH IF THAT WAS DONE, IT WOULD BE IN CONJUNCTION AND LOOK GORGEOUS LIKE THE GARAGE THAT WE HAVE NOW.
IF YOU CAN MAKE GARAGES GORGEOUS, AND WE THINK WE DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB WITH ALL THE STARS AND THE THINGS THAT ARE THERE.
HOWEVER, AS WE ALL KNOW, TRAFFIC IS CHANGING, THAT MAY NEVER HAPPEN.
THERE IS NO MONEY PRESENTLY IN THE BOND THAT WE'RE DOING.
WE ARE ABOUT TO SPEND $20 MILLION MORE AND WE'LL BE BUILDING A, A BUILDING FOR CYBERSECURITY AND OTHER THINGS.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER FOR SURE.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA TELL YOU WRONG, THE, EXCUSE ME.
THE BUYING INCLUDES 40 MILLION FOR A NEW BUILDING ON SOME PART OF THE CAMPUS, AND THAT BUILDING'S GONNA HOUSE IT, CYBERSECURITY AND GENERAL EDUCATION.
AND THAT DECISION HASN'T BEEN MADE WHERE THAT WILL BE YET.
IT COULD BE IN THIS SPACE, IT COULD BE ON ANOTHER SPACE, ON SOME OTHER PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE.
AND, AND I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A COPY, BUT I DID WANT YOU TO BE SURE THAT YOU NOTED THAT ELIAS BINGHAM, WHO OWNS THE SKATE SHOP, DID SEND A LETTER IN SUPPORT OF DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING.
AND SO I, I JUST FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN A, WELL, THAT'S PART IN AN ABSTRACT SENSE, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT AFFORDABLE RETAIL OR UM, PARKING GARAGE, WHICH ONE IS CLOSER TO A USEFUL EDUCATIONAL EXPENSE.
UH, YOU ALSO SAID THAT YOU DIDN'T ENGAGE IN LEASING, BUT THEN YOU SAID THAT YOU HAVE LEASED, UH, RETAIL SPACE IN THE PARKING GARAGE TO THE SKATE SHOP.
SO THAT SEEMS LIKE YOU DO ENGAGE IN LEASING.
UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO UPGRADE THE INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING, IF IT WAS TO BE USEFUL, UH, IT THINKS EVIDENCED BY YOUR BUILDING IMMEDIATELY ACROSS THE STREET.
YOU'RE COMPLETELY CAPABLE OF THAT.
UM, IT'S JUST AN EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING PROJECT FOR ME.
UH, I THINK THAT THE BUILDING IS BLIGHTED AND I THINK THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BUILDING AT THIS TIME, AND NOW IT IS IN THAT STATE.
SO I THINK I MAY HAVE MISSED ONE THING THAT YOU SAID, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REMARK, AS I SAID, PARKING GARAGE IS IF PEOPLE ARE STILL DRIVING CARS, A PARKING GARAGE IS FAR PART OF AN EDUCATIONAL FACILITY AND REQUIRED, OTHERWISE YOU HAVE STUDENTS PARKING OVER THE STREETS AND PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT.
AS FAR AS LEASING, THE REASON WE HAD THAT RETAIL SPACE IN THE BOTTOM OF THAT GARAGE, WHEN THAT GARAGE WAS BUILT, THE CITY REQUIRED THAT THERE BE, UH, RETAIL SPACE BUILT IN THE BOTTOM.
AND SO THAT IS THE REASON THAT IT IS THERE.
AND DID I MISS ANY OTHER POINT? YOUR ABILITY TO REHAB AN AN EXISTING STRUCTURE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HISTORIC MARRIAGE YOU DID? OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S WHAT, AND I'M SO GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT BACK UP.
[02:40:01]
THAT WE USE TAX DOLLARS MONEY, UM, CAREFULLY.THE OTHER BUILDING IS VERY MUCH A HISTORICAL BUILDING IS NOT THE FIRST, BUT MAYBE THE SECOND AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO IT, IT IS REQUIRED THAT IT BE REHABBED.
I WILL TELL YOU IT WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE PROJECT THAT HAS EVER BEEN DONE AT A C C.
AND WE ARE PROUD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT AND THAT IT IS THERE, BUT THIS IS NOT A BUILDING THAT IS GOOD FOR EDUCATIONAL USE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE WHO'S SPEAKING IN FAVOR? ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? THE OTHER P THERE ARE SOME OTHER, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT HERE NECESSARILY SPEAKING.
NOW, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY IN OPPOSITION, ANYBODY TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS.
WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION ON A PROPERTY THAT HAS SOME, UH, SOME HISTORY WITH US.
SOME OF THE MEMBERS REMEMBER, UH, FILLING THIS UP WITH THE, UH, SKATE SHOP SUPPORTERS AND OUR WILLINGNESS TO AT LEAST CONSIDER, UH, AS THE LATE STEVE SADOWSKI URGED US TO, UH, THAT THIS WAS A VERY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE STRIP COMMERCIAL THAT USED TO BE RATHER MUCH MORE COMMON.
AND THERE ARE NOT MUCH OF IT LEFT.
UH, BUT HAVING BEEN SAID, THERE WAS NOT SPECIFIC ASSOCIATION WITH, UH, OTHER BUSINESSES AS I RECALL AT THE TIME THAT WERE THAT PROMINENT.
AND I THINK THIS HAS BEEN REPEATED HERE TONIGHT.
UH, THE SKATE SHOP ITSELF AND ITS IMPORTANCE DOES NOT FIT WITHIN THE PERIOD OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE.
SO IT REALLY WOULD BE STRETCHING IT.
AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'VE MOVED, SO THEY'RE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH IT ANYMORE.
AND I DO THINK THE OTHER ISSUE IS TO DO WITH THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE BUILDING, THOUGH I THINK AS IT'S BEEN STATED, THAT, UH, CONDITION IS PARTLY DUE TO THE CURRENT OWNERS LEAVING IT THAT WAY.
BUT ALL OF THOSE MAY BE SOMETHING WE WANNA TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IN THINKING ABOUT THIS REQUEST.
SO, BUT I'LL, I'LL LEAVE IT TO THE COMMISSION TO TAKE WHATEVER ACTION YOU WOULD PREFER.
I WILL MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND FOLLOW STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION OF ACTIVE REUSE, BUT RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON A COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER COOK, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER.
UH, LISTEN TO ME, LA ROACH
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? UH, I, I DON'T TAKE PLEASURE EVER IN DOING THIS EVEN THOUGH WE, WE DO IT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE A LOT OF WHAT WE DO HERE IS LET PEOPLE TEAR DOWN BUILDINGS.
WE'D RATHER THAT THEY DIDN'T, UH, BECAUSE OF THOSE ARE THE TOOLS WE HAVE.
UH, THIS IS, I THINK, A GREAT LITTLE BUILDING, BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BUILDINGS AROUND IT, THE DEVELOPMENT AROUND IT, IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT A C C HAS DONE FOR PRESERVATION IN THAT AREA AS A WHOLE, UH, I REALLY WOULD PREFER TO SEE THAT FACADE RETAINED AND USED AS PART OF A GARAGE, ESPECIALLY IF THE CITY REQUIRES GROUND LEVEL RETAIL.
BUT, UH, AT THAT POINT IT REALLY WOULD BE FACADE IS, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE BUILDING ITSELF WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO, TO REPURPOSE AND IT, IT'S JUST, UM, THERE, THERE ARE BIGGER BATTLES TO FIGHT AND, UH, WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING GREAT SUCCESSES, UM, THAT ARE DONE BY THE SAME APPLICANT RATHER THAN, UH, TAKING THIS TO THE NTH DEGREE.
COMMISSIONER ROCHE? NO, I, I ECHO COMMISSIONER COOK'S REMARKS AND I APPRECIATE, UH, A WELL DELIVERED AND WELL FOUNDED, UH, POSITION ON, ON BEHALF OF A C C.
SO THAT, THAT WAS NICE THAT, UH, YOU GOT CHALLENGED A LITTLE BIT FROM THE DIOCESE, BUT YOU RESPONDED APPROPRIATELY.
SO I APPRECIATE COMING WELL PREPARED.
COMMERS, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I THINK I'M, UH, WE HAVE STANDARDS THAT WE KEEP AND SO I'LL ABSTAIN FROM THIS VOTE
I KNOW I, I WANNA MAINTAIN THE STANDARDS THAT WE KEEP AND I KNOW THAT THIS BUILDING DOESN'T MEET THOSE.
UM, I I JUST FEEL LIKE I HOLD AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING TO A, A HIGHER STANDARD OF, UM, BEING ABLE TO SEE THE PAST AND THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.
UM, AND WHAT THIS BUILDING HAS CONTRIBUTED OVER TIME AND WHAT ITS POTENTIAL COULD BE.
UH, I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN REQUIRED YOU TO PUT RETAIL IN THE PARKING GARAGE.
UH, IT WAS OBVIOUSLY TO EVERYONE'S BENEFIT.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU TRYING TO
[02:45:01]
COMPLETE YOUR MISSION AS YOU DEFINE IT WITHIN CERTAIN PARAMETERS 'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO, OR ELSE YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING TO SOLVE NUCLEAR FISSION OR SOMETHING.UM, BUT THIS, THIS AFFORDABLE RETAIL JUST REALLY IS IMPORTANT THAT I REALLY DO FEEL LIKE IT, IT DOES FALL IN LINE WITH ACCS MISSION SO MUCH TO, TO HAVE AFFORDABLE RETAIL.
AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT DOESN'T FIT WITHIN THE LETTER OF YOUR MISSION TO PROVIDE IT, BUT GEE GOLLY, IF IT ISN'T LIKE THE NEXT STEP THAT SO MANY OF YOUR STUDENTS NEED IS AN AFFORDABLE PIECE OF RETAIL MM-HMM.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I WANNA ECHO, I WANNA ECHO COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, I THINK I'LL ALSO BE ABSTAINING.
UM, AGREE WITH EVERYTHING HE SAID.
UH, I LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A C C CONSTANTLY COMPARED TO, UH, A LOT OF OTHER SCHOOLS IN THIS CITY,
SO THAT'S, I I, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, BUT LOOKING AT THE, LOOKING AT THE GARAGE, I'VE BEEN TO THAT SKATE SHOP AND THE NEW COFFEE SHOP, THEY HAVE A GREAT SPACE, YOU KNOW, I LOVE IT.
I LOVE THAT COMMUNITY THAT THEY HAVE THERE.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF SAD THAT LOOKING AT THE BUILDING THAT WAS TORN DOWN FOR THE GARAGE IS, WAS TORN DOWN BECAUSE NOW WE'RE SAYING THIS IS NOT ENOUGH.
THIS ONE BUILDING IS NOT ENOUGH, BUT WE HAD TWO BUILDINGS AND THAT WASN'T ENOUGH EITHER.
BUT, UH, I DO THINK THAT WAS, WAS MENTIONED THAT THE SCHOOL, UH, COULD, COULD FIND THE MONEY.
AND I THINK THERE'S ALSO VISION AND MASTER PLANS CHANGE AND UNFORTUNATELY, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED ON THESE MASTER PLANS WITH PLENTY OF SCHOOLS AND SOMETIMES YOU NEED A LITTLE DIFFERENT VISION AND A LITTLE DIFFERENT, UH, SET OF EYES BECAUSE I SEE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE SIMILAR TO WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON SEES AS WELL.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YES, I'D LIKE TO ALSO SPEAK, UM, AND, AND, UM, I CONCUR WITH THE TWO PREVIOUS COMMISSIONERS OF FEATHERSTONE AND RUBIO ABOUT, UM, POTENTIAL MISSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS BUILDING.
UM, AND JUST TO THINK ABOUT, UM, INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES, NOT NAMING OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
UM, BUT YEAH, I, THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA SAY.
UH, ANY OTHER CON DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION BEFORE US TO, UH, APPROVE STAT'S RECOMMENDATION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? OH, I'M SORRY.
UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, WERE YOU FOUR? YES.
WHO, UH, ARE ABSTAINING AND THERE ARE TWO ABSTAINING.
UM, DOES THAT GIVE US A MAJORITY? YES.
[24. PR-2023-116387 – 4604 Crestway Dr. – Consent ]
AND THAT IS ITEM NUMBER 24 46 0 4 CREST WAY DRIVE.CREST WAY DRIVE IS AN APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1957 HOUSE.
UM, IT'S ONE AND A HALF STORIES IN HEIGHT WITH A LOW SLOPE ROOF AND DEEP EAVES CLOUDED NATURAL STONE AND VERTICAL CEDAR SIDING.
FENESTRATION INCLUDES ALUMINUM RIBBON AND HALF HEIGHT SLIDER WINDOWS, FULL HEIGHT SLIDERS AND FULL HEIGHT FIXED WINDOWS.
AT FIRST WERE CAR, FIRST FLOOR CARPORT WIDE.
CHIMNEY AND STONE RETAINING WALLS VISUALLY ANCHOR THE HOUSE TO THE HILLSIDE ON WHICH IT'S BUILT.
IT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1957, UH, FOR RICHARD R DEL SENIOR, UH, DEL CENTER OF A FORT WORTH HARDWARE COMPANY FOUNDER OPEN DEL BUILDERS SUPPLY IN AUSTIN IN THE LATE 1940S, THOUGH HE RETIRED IN 1996.
THE COMPANY IS STILL AROUND TODAY AND SUPPLIES MATERIALS TO CONTRACTORS AROUND THE STATE.
DEL WAS ACTIVE IN SEVERAL CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS SERVING IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN NUMEROUS CLUBS.
HE SERVED AS AN OFFICER OF WESTWOOD COUNTRY CLUB, ALONGSIDE ARCHITECT ROLAND G ROASTER, A LUMINARY OF AUSTIN'S MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN, UH, COMMUNITY.
UM, COMMISSIONER MCCARTER UH, CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW WITH A FORMER RESIDENT, UM, THAT SHED MORE LIGHT ON THE HOMES.
UH, BUILDER WHO WAS DEL'S BROTHER, UH, HE STUDIED UNDER FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT AND, UH, COPIED ONE OF HIS DESIGNS, UH, TO BUILD HIS BROTHER'S HOUSE.
UM, AND YOU CAN FIND COMMISSIONER MCCARTER'S, UH, DOCUMENTATION IN YOUR BACKUP.
UM, THE BUILDING IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN
[02:50:01]
USING NATURAL MATERIALS AND EMPLOYING A DESIGN THAT RESPONDS TO THE SITE'S TOPOGRAPHY.UM, IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS, THOUGH THE COMMISSION MAY WISH TO CONSIDER THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIGH DELL BUILDER SUPPLY AND THE HOME'S UNIQUE MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER MC QUARTER'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE BACKUP THAT EXPANDS UPON THIS CONNECTION.
UM, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WAS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE REHAB AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN DECONSTRUCTION AND REUSE OF MATERIALS, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, HOWEVER, THIS RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE BEFORE COMMISSIONER MCCARTER'S, UH, INFORMATION WAS INTERGEN TO BACKUP.
UM, SO THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD CONSIDER.
UM, I'M, I'M INTRIGUED ABOUT THE, UH, SITE PREPARATION BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO TEAR THE HOUSE DOWN, DOES THAT MEAN THEY HAVE TO DYNAMITE SOME MORE
BUT, UH, IT, DID WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR I GUESS IN THIS CASE? UH, LET ME, UH, WELL, COMMISSIONER LA ROCHE.
WELL, I GUESS MY, MY QUESTION IS, UH, STAFF PULLED THIS FROM CONSENT AND I'M ASSUMING THAT WAS BASED ON THE RECEIPT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
UM, LET ME GO JUST COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER, LET ME CALL ON YOU TO ADD ANY ADDITIONAL YEAH, SO INFORMATION FROM YOUR, FROM YOUR, UH, RESEARCH.
SO THIS, THIS HOUSE IS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND I ENDED UP HAVING A PHONE INTERVIEW WITH MARY EPSON, EPPERSON DEL, WHO WAS THE WIDOW OF RICHARD DEL, UH, OR RICK, OR EXCUSE ME, RICHARD ELL.
UM, AND SHE'S THE ONE THAT RELAYED THIS INFORMATION.
SO, UH, SHE WAS 86 WHEN I HAD THAT INTERVIEW WITH HER.
SHE WAS THE SECOND WIFE, SO SHE WAS NOT THE, THE, THERE'S NOT PART OF THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION PLAN AND, YOU KNOW, SHE WASN'T THERE FOR THAT.
SO, UH, I FEEL LIKE THAT INFORMATION PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE VERIFIED SOMEHOW.
AND I'VE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO, UH, THE DALLAS, UM, INSTITUTE OF OUR INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS AND THEN THE DALLAS HERITAGE SOCIETY TO FIND OUT WHETHER THEY HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT WILLIAM HENRY HEEL, UH, JUST TO CONFIRM SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SHE SAID ABOUT IT.
BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S PROBABLY RELIABLE THAT HE WAS THE ARCHITECT FOR THE HOME.
UH, 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION TO, TO KIND OF CONTRADICT THAT.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, IT SEEMED LIKE VERY INTERESTING HISTORY AND, AND GREAT CONNECTIONS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, WELL-KNOWN NAMES, ET CETERA.
SO I THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WAS PART OF THE, THE CONVERSATION BEFORE WE MADE A DECISION ON THIS PROPERTY.
SO, AND HAVE, HAVE WE ANY INFORMATION FROM THE OWNER WHO ORIGINALLY FILED FOR DEMOLITION? UH, NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR THE ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND.
AND, UH, IT CERTAINLY
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION? NO.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST? NO, NO.
THEN COMMISSIONERS, UH, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO IN THIS CASE? PERHAPS COMMISSIONER MC MORTER? YOU HAVE A SUGGESTION? UH, I CERTAINLY WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE AT LEAST POSTPONE TO GET MORE INFORMATION AND, AND CONFIRM SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE FROM MY THIS INTERVIEW.
SO, AND WOULD THERE ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO THE OWNER AND SHARE SOME OF THAT WITH THEM? UH, SURE.
WITH THE POTENTIAL OF HAVING THEM MAYBE RECONSIDER THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY DETERMINED WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE.
CONSIDER IS, AND I ASSUME THE CONDITION OF THE HOUSE, WE CAN ONLY SEE GENERALLY FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHS.
SO IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
UH, SO STRUCTURALLY I WOULD SAY IT'S IN VERY GOOD SHAPE.
UH, IN THE INSIDE IS, IS A MESS.
SO IT LOOKED TO ME LIKE MAYBE THEY WERE, THE PREVIOUS OWNER WAS STRIPPING EITHER, EITHER IN THE MIDST OF A REMODEL THAT THEN THEY DECIDED NOT TO DO, OR THEY WERE STRIPPING OUT THINGS AND SELLING THEM OR, OR WHATEVER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A GUTTED BATHROOM, THERE'S THE, THERE'S A LOT OF DEBRIS, IT'S A MESS, BUT AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, THE ROOF IS SOLID, SO IT'S PROTECTING THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE AND I DIDN'T SEE A CRACK ANYWHERE ON IT.
AND OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S GOT, YOU KNOW, EIGHT LOADS OF CONCRETE
SO I MEAN IT, THE VIEW REQUIRED AN IMPRESSIVE DESIGN IS WHAT
[02:55:01]
I WOULD, IS HOW I WOULD CHARACTERIZE IT.SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY COOL PLACE, BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
SO, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT STRUCK ME AS STRUCTURALLY, AND I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THAT, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT SUGGESTED IT WAS, UH, FALLING DOWN OR, OR STRUCTURALLY UNSOUND.
SO, UM, WHY DON'T WE THEN ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
SO DO WE KEEP THE PUBLIC PUBLIC HEARING OPEN? YEAH, SO I WOULD, I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE WOULD, UH, KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND MOVE TO POSTPONE TILL THE NEXT MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.
UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WARD.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FENDERSON.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'VE REACHED OUT, LIKE I SAID, TO A COUPLE OF DALLAS ORGANIZATIONS AND SO I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK YET.
SO WHEN I HAVE THAT INFORMATION, I'LL SHARE IT WITH STAFF AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T WANNA DUPLICATE EFFORTS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS WOULD DO AT THIS POINT IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.
SO IS THAT ALL ON ME OR, OR DO YOU GUYS HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT TOO? UM, THANKS COMMISSIONER.
UM, IF YOU, UM, HAVE THE, UH, THE CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE FOLKS YOU REACHED OUT TO, UM, I CAN REACH OUT AS WELL.
UM, I, UH, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, UH, SENDING THIS ALONG BECAUSE I WAS PERPLEXED, UH, AND WAS THINKING MAYBE THERE WAS A ROLE IN NURK, UH, CONNECTION, UM, JUST KIND OF GIVEN HOW SIMILAR THIS IS TO, UH, TO SOME OF THE OTHER ESS AREA, UM, NER HOUSES.
THIS WAS, UH, ILLUMINATING FOR ME.
I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATED IT.
BUT YEAH, IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE ANY LEADS, IF ANY OF Y'ALL, UM, HAVE ANY IDEAS, UM, OTHER THAN THE CURRENT APPLICANT, UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO REACH OUT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL DO, SO I ABSOLUTELY WOULD WANT YOU TO REACH OUT TO THE APPLICANT AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER FEATHER SENT ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, NOTHING TO ADD.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE UP TO A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
AND WE WILL THEN HEAR THE CASE, UH, AND CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING NEXT MONTH.
SO THAT GETS US TO ALL OF OUR DISCUSSION POSTED ITEMS. UH, THE NEXT ITEM UP IS
[27. 2024 HLC Meeting Schedule]
ITEM NUMBER 27, THE SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS FOR NEXT YEAR AND, AND BEYOND.UM, IT'S A, DOES THAT WORK FOR EVERYBODY OR YOU WANNA DISCUSS THAT? YEAH, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, INFORMATION.
UM, THE HISTORICALLY MARKED COMMISSION IS SET TO MEET THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
UM, YOU KNOW, MOVEMENT FOR, UH, LACK OF QUORUM OR HOLIDAYS IS ALLOWED PER THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
UM, WE ONLY HAVE CITY HALL LIKE PROMISED TO US ON THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
SO IF WE MOVE A MEETING FOR A HOLIDAY OR FOR LACK OF QUORUM, WE WILL NOT BE MEETING HERE.
WE WOULD BE MOVING MEETING AT THE P D C, WHICH SOME OF YOU HAVE MET AT BEFORE I TAKE IT.
THE PREFERENCE IS TO MEET HERE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, PLEASE LOOK AT, AT THE DATES IF YOU HAVE ANY, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY ISSUES PER QUORUM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
UM, I KNOW THAT JANUARY IS SHIFTED BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS, AND THEN JULY 3RD IS THE DAY BEFORE THE FOURTH, BUT THIS YEAR WE MET THE DAY AFTER THE FOURTH, AND SOME WOULD SAY THAT'S EVEN ROUGHER.
YEAH, SO IT'S, IT'S A WEDNESDAY AND, UM, THESE DATES WORK REALLY WELL WITH STAFF.
I USE THESE DATES TO CALCULATE SIX INTERNAL DEADLINES, WORKING BACKWARDS FOR STAFF.
UM, SO THOSE ARE ALREADY SET IN PLACE ACCORDING TO THESE DATES.
UM, IF THERE WERE ANY DATES TO BE REWORKED, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND RECALCULATE THOSE DATES FOR STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN A, UM, FOLLOWING CODE, UM, FOR GETTING THINGS ON THE AGENDA.
UM, AND ALSO TO MENTION THESE DATES ARE THE BASIS FOR OUR ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, THAT'S INCLUDED IN THOSE INTERNAL DEADLINES.
SO, UM, IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE A R C, UM, KIND OF KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU, AS YOU REVIEW THE SCHEDULE.
IT SEEMS LIKE AS GOOD A TIME AS ANY TO ASK IF THERE'S ANY, UH, INDICATION THAT THERE'LL BE A CHANGE TO LIKE THE, THE VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE RULES.
YOU'RE FREE TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY AS LONG AS UM, WE HAVE AT LEAST THE CHAIR OR VICE CHAIR OR WHOEVER IS LEADING THE MEETING MUST BE IN PERSON.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY THING.
LIKE, IT COULD JUST BE BEN AND EVERYBODY ELSE COULD BE VIRTUAL
[03:00:01]
OF EARLY MAY WILL BE I'LL, I'LL BE IN CANADA, SO, UH, WE'LL VERY LIKELY HAVE TO HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE OF THAT DAY.OH, YEAH, SO YOU, YOU GET BUT EVERYBODY'S GREAT, EVERYBODY.
SO YEAH, THESE DATES ARE, UM, WHAT STAFF WE RECOMMEND.
IT WORKS WELL WITH OUR CODE MANDATES.
IT WORKS WELL WITH OUR, UM, INTERNAL DEADLINE FORMULAS,
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY CONCERNS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
WE DO NEED TO HAVE ACTION ON THIS TO APPROVE IT SO I CAN SEND IT TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE SO THEY CAN SECURE THIS ROOM FOR US.
COMMISSIONERS, SHALL WE ADOPT THE MEETING SCHEDULE FOR 2024 AND JANUARY OF 2025? SO MOVED.
UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON AND WHO WAS THE SECOND MCC, QUARTER HORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
OFF THE ROW, UH, WE HAVE REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEES
[28. Architectural Review Committee]
AND WE HAVE A VACANCY THAT WE NEED TO FILL ON ONE.SO WE'LL START WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
OH, UM, I WAS ABOUT TO ENTER, GO AHEAD IN MY CALENDAR.
SOME OF THE ONE MORE OUTSTANDING ONES THAT YOU DIDN'T SEE TONIGHT, UH, WERE THE BAKER SCHOOL GAVE US AN EARLY PRESENTATION ABOUT REPLACING THEIR WINDOWS.
THEY CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, THIS IS THE, THE LARGE, THE SCHOOL, UH, OWNED BY ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE OVER IN HYDE PARK.
THEY CURRENTLY HAVE ALUMINUM WINDOWS WITH A SPANDREL ON TOP FOR THE LOWERED CEILINGS OF THE, OF A LATER ERA.
UH, SO THAT'S A GOOD RESTORATION ELEMENT.
UH, THE TEXACO DEPOT, WHICH IS A REALLY INTERESTING LANDMARK, UH, IS ADDING A MURAL ON THE TOWER THAT WE APPROVED SEVERAL YEARS AGO ON THE BACKSIDE.
THAT'S ANOTHER REALLY INTERESTING PROPERTY.
IF YOU HAVEN'T VISITED IT HAS A GREAT COFFEE SHOP AND ALONG A, UH, BIKE LANE THERE ON EAST FOURTH.
AND THEN WE ALSO SAW SOME EARLY PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE PROPERTIES AROUND, UH, HILLS CAFE.
AND, UH, THE TEAM THERE SEEMS TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL AND AND THOROUGH IN PRESENTING ALL THE INFORMATION.
AND WE PROVIDED OUR FEEDBACK AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
BUT THOSE WERE THREE KIND OF EARLY, UM, EARLY VIEWS THAT WE SAW OF MORE, SOME OF THE MORE INTERESTING CASES.
ANYTHING ELSE? ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE AND COMMISSIONER ROGAN, THANK YOU FOR BEING ABLE TO MAKE THAT COMMITMENT TO BE A PART OF THIS, PART OF THAT TEAM, UH, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE NOT COMMISSIONER, I'D LIKE TO JUST, UH, PUT ON THE RECORD.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO OUR ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UM, WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF, UM, DESIGNS THAT HAVE RECEIVED FEEDBACK AND, UH, BEEN CHANGED KIND OF ON THE BACK END OF THINGS BECAUSE OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEES.
REALLY, UH, THOUGHTFUL AND CONSIDERATE AND HELPFUL ADVICE.
SO, UM, I JUST WANNA LET Y'ALL KNOW AND, UH, AND LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE IT.
AND AGAIN, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE HEAVY LIFTING AND I KNOW THE LAST MEETING WAS A LONG ONE, SO HOPEFULLY WE DON'T REFER SO MANY TO YOU, BUT WHEN WE DO, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK.
[29. Operations Committee]
WE HAVE AN ALL RIGHT FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.WE HAVE AN AGENDA READY TO GO.
WE JUST NEED TO SET A MEETING DATE.
SO PLEASE PULL UP YOUR CALENDARS.
UM, I'VE GOT MY WORK CALENDAR UP RIGHT NOW.
DID WE DECIDE ON MORNING, UH, SORRY, BEGINNING OF DAY LAUNCH OR END OF DAY? WHAT DID WE DECIDE ON? I THINK I SET A PREFERENCE FOR BEGINNING OR MIDDLE.
WHO'S, WHO'S CHAIRING THE COMMITTEE? WE DON'T HAVE ONE YET BECAUSE WE HAVE, YOU HAVE TO ASSEMBLE TO DO THAT, BUT YEAH, YOU GUYS HAVE TO MEET FIRST.
SO, IS LUNCH GONNA BE PROVIDED?
YOU'RE WELCOME TO BRING IT THOUGH.
I THINK I'LL, WE CAN TALK ABOUT LUNCH.
SO, UM, I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE LUNCH, SO IF YOU WANNA MEET OVER LUNCH,
ALRIGHT, SO GOING INTO THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, BOTH CALLAN AND I ARE GOING ON VACATION AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, SO WE WILL BE OUT, UH, MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK, BEGINNING OF THE NEXT, BUT I'LL BE AVAILABLE VIA, VIA COMPUTER, UH, A COUPLE HOURS EVERY DAY SO I CAN POST AGENDAS AS NECESSARY IF WE DECIDE TO PLAN ONE WHENEVER WE GET BACK.
[03:05:01]
SO NO.WHAT ABOUT, I'M DOING MATH IN MY HEAD.
UM, THAT ONE'S NOT GONNA WORK.
BREAKFAST MEETINGS? OH NO, I'M NOT EVEN LOOKING AT YOUR GIFT.
UH, SO WHAT ABOUT THE 25TH? THAT'S A WEDNESDAY FROM 11 TO ONE WORKS.
CHUCK, WHY DON'T YOU JUST SAY WHEN WORKS FOR YOU, MAN.
WHAT ABOUT THE 26TH? FROM 1130 TO ONE 30? YEAH.
IT'S A THURSDAY FROM 1130 TO ONE 30.
I WILL SEND YOU A CALENDAR INVITE TOMORROW.
I'M BOOKING THE ROOM RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S FOR COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE LAROCHE AND COMMISSIONER COOK.
THAT HAS TO BE FROM NOON TO ONE.
IS THAT OKAY? NOON TO ONE 30 MAYBE? YEAH.
IF YOU EVER NEED A ROOM, I CAN HOST IT AS WELL.
[30. Grants Committee]
AND THAT ALSO IS A GROUP THAT NEEDS TO GET ORGANIZED.I'VE PUT THEM IN CONTACT WITH MELISSA ALVARADO.
SHE IS GETTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE GRANTS, UH, THE HERITAGE GRANT PROJECT.
UM, SHE DOES PLAN ON REACHING OUT TO ALL, UH, GRANTS COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO BE ON THE BOARD OF SELECTION FOR THOSE APPLICATIONS.
UM, I'M GETTING MORE, I PLAN ON GETTING MORE INFORMATION FROM HER, UM, EARLY NEXT WEEK BEFORE I'M OUT.
AND THEN LET'S GO THROUGH THOSE MEMBERS AGAIN.
WE HAVE ROXANNE EVANS AND JAIME ALVAREZ.
AND THEN THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
[31. Preservation Plan Committee]
UH, THERE WAS A MEETING THAT TOOK PLACE AND I KNOW THERE, HAVE WE SCHEDULED THE NEXT MEETING AT THIS POINT? I, I CAN'T RECALL.THE NEXT MEETING IS, UH, FOR THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, UH, OCTOBER 18TH FROM 11 TO ONE, 11 TO ONE.
AND, UM, ON THAT CASE WE HAD COMMISSIONER ROGAN, WHO IS NOW THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
AND I HAVE HELD MYSELF BACK AND HAVE NOT TAKEN A SPOT THINKING THAT I WAIT UNTIL THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS ALL SHIP OUT.
BUT, UH, WITH THE OTHER COMMISSION MEMBERS WHO ARE ON THAT, UM, PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE, THEN I WILL GO AHEAD AND FILL THE OPEN SPOT.
IF THAT, IF, IF, UH, IF WE CAN GET THAT APPROVED.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATES SAYING AYE.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO DISCUSS AT THIS MEETING? ADJOURNMENT.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THEY ASKED YOU FOR A VOICE BOOK AND THEY HOLD UP THEIR BIG DADDY.
HE'S ABOUT TO HAVE A FEAR, LOVE BARBECUE BAREFOOT IN THE HOT SUN.